Full text of "Discourses of Brigham Young"

See other formats

fLctm ^c//7-0 ^<f 






Discourses 

of 

Brigham Young 

SECOND I^SIDENT OF TH& CH0RCH 

*0£ JESCTS CHRIST 

OF EATTER-JDAf SAINTS 



"I acp galled to preach the Gospel of Life 
—Journal of Discourses ^ F& £$ $, 11 



Selected and Arranged 
JOHN A. WIDTSOE 



D^SERET BOOK COMPANY 



iv PREFACE 

to do the work so well In fact, Brigham Young was first 
a spiritual teacher and secondly a material leader The re- 
ligion that he professed made him the man that he became; 
its pimciples were used in guiding the people in all their 
affairs. 

Books enough to fill a library have been written about 
the history, character and accomplishments of Bngham 
Young. Few of these books attempt to analyze the sys- 
tem of doctrine and piactice that bi ought unbounded suc- 
cess to the Latter-day Saints J Many display such extreme 
religious partisanship that even the sympathetic reader can 
place no lehance upon their statements. Something harsher 
might be said about the large number of books written 
about Bngham Young and his times that manifestly aim 
to secure popularity by appealing to the sensational and 
the lurid, at the expense of tiuth. Even recently, when the 
years have given perspective, some writers have set up 
hypotheses concerning Brigham Young, and have pro- 
ceeded to argue the case— as if that were history ! It is 
amazing that intelligent people, knowing the high order of 
accomplishments of the Latter-day Saints, give credence 
to 1;he weird and crude stones, appealing to the baser emo- 
tions of mankind, which fill the pages of anti-"Moimon" 
literature. 

In this book Brigham Young is allowed to speak for 
himself. Excerpts have been made from his many dis- 
courses, and these have been arranged to show the co- 
herent system of faith which he continuously taught his 
people and by which he was enabled to win success for his 
followers. The philosophy thus set forth is clear and un- 
mistakable in its purpose It reveals Bngham Young as a 
man who applied the simple principles of the Gospel of 



PREFACE V 

Jesus Christ to the everyday affairs of men; and who 
proved the efficacy, in common life, among common men, 
of the Gospel of the Son of God. 

This book was made possible because Brigham Young 
secured stenographic reports of his addresses, As he trav- 
eled among the people, reporters accompanied him. All 
that he said was recorded. Practically all of these dis- 
courses (from December 16, 1851 to August 19, 1877) were 
published in the Journal of Discourses, which was widely 
distributed. The public utterances of few great historical 
figures have been so faithfully and fully preserved. Clearly, 
this mass of material, covering nearly thirty years of in- 
cessant public speaking could not be presented with any 
hope of serving the general reader, save in the form of 
selections of essential doctrines. 

The discourses, from which this volume has been culled, 
were spoken extemporaneously. The state papers of Gov- 
ernor Brigham Young, and the epistles signed by him and 
his counselors in the Presidency of the Church, have not 
been used in this collection. The excerpts here presented 
came from his lips under the inspiration, at the moment, 
of the Power that guided his life. The corrections for the 
printer, as shown by existing manuscripts, were few and of 
minor consequence. The discourses are a remarkable self- 
revelation of the character and moving impulses of a man 
who accomplished huge tasks for his generation It is 
marvelous that the enemies of Brigham Young, with this 
wealth of material before them, have found so little to use 
to his disadvantage. But, a dishonest or insincere man 
would not have had his public utterances reported and pub- 
lished all over the world The consistency of the views pre- 
sented, from the first to the last discourse, would be 



astounding, were it not for the fact that he clung constantly 
for interpretation to the Gospel of Jesus Christ as he had 
been taught it by the Prophet Joseph Smith His devotion 
to his teacher and predecessor, the Prophet, is tenderly 
beautiful. 

The school education of Biigham Young was very lim- 
ited, but his discourses show a wide knowledge of men and 
affairs and an excellent powei to use the English language 
clearly and forcefully. Often, his simple eloquence rises 
to great heights Those who heard him speak have de- 
clared that they were held in tense attention, however long 
the address might be. His vivid imagination, dramatic 
power and unquestioned sincerity made him a natural 
orator He seldom confined himself to one subject in his 
discourses The needs of the day were the themes about 
which he wound his teachings. 

No liberties have been taken, in this book, with the 
words of Brigham Young In a few instances, errors m 
language or spelling, which should have been caught by the 
printer, have been corrected. All distinct sentiments, as 
expressed in the discourses, are represented by one or more 
quotations, except such as refer to conditions now no longer 
existing The excerpts are confined to the piinciples of the 
Gospel. The mass of historical and autobiographical de- 
tail could not be included without making this volume too 
large for popular use. As it is, severe pruning and elimin- 
ation have been employed to enable the inclusion of the 
message of each of the 363 addresses m the Journal of Dis- 
courses, and the many others printed in the Deseret News, 
the Millennial Star and other periodicals The many sum- 
maries of Bngham Young's discourses, appearing in the 
Deseret News have not been used. The excerpts con- 



tained in this volume are from verbatim reports. The fig- 
ures at the end of each excerpt indicates the volume and 
page of the Journal of Discourses. 

These discourses are Brigham Young's witness to the 
existence of God, the divine mission of Jesus the Christ, the 
restoration of the Gospel in its fulness by Joseph Smith, 
the Prophet, and the possibility of securing happiness here 
and hereafter by obedience to the requirements of the Gos- 
pel This volume is but another testimony that the Lord 
continues to speak through his prophets. 

■ " " "?//| 
PREFACE TO SECOND EDITION 

The reception of this book far surpassed the hopes of the 
publishers. The first edition of fifteen thousand was soon 
exhausted. The second edition of ten thousand is the same 
as the first edition except for some minor letter corrections. 

The Publishers 
Feb 15, 1926. 



CONTENTS 

CHAPTER I 
THE GOSPEL DEFINED 

Composed of Eternal Laws— Embraces all Truth— Increasing 
Knowledge of Gospel — Holds Power of Priesthood — The Gos- 
pel of Life and Salvation — Offers Salvation to All— A Guide 
in Daily Life— A Fountain of Truth— We Need a Practical 
Religion — Temporal Labors are Necessary — We Need a Present, 
Everyday Religion — We Must Learn to Support Ourselves 1 

CHAPTER II 
THE GODHEAD 

Our Father in Heaven— Personality and Fatherhood of God — 
The Son of God— the Holy Ghost 27 

CHAPTER III 

THE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN GOD AND MAN 

The Spirit of God — Revelation — Angels — Prayer 49 

CHAPTER IV 
PRE-EXISTENCE, THE PLAN ,OF SALIVATION 

Time — The Organized Universe — Man and Matter Eternal — 
Man the Offspring of God — The Spirit of Man — The Council 
in Heaven— The Plan of Salvation 72 

CHAPTER V 

(FREE AGENCY 

Definition of .. . 95 

CHAPTER VI 
THE POWER OF EVIL 

Lucifer— False Spirits— Priestcraft— Sin and Wickedness- 
Temptation — Apostasy 104 

, CHAPTER VII 

THE LAW OF ETERNAL PROGRESSION 

Object of Mortal Life— Man to Endure Forever — The Business 
of life — Prepare to Live—Eternal Increase— Blessings are Pro- 
portioned to our Capacity , 133 



X CONTENTS 

CHAPTER VIII 
THE DESTINY OF MAN 

The Gift of Eternal Life— Eternal Increase— The Celestial 
Wot Id— Opposition to Death 147 

CHAPTER IX 
DISPENSATIONS OF THE GOSPEL 

The Earth— Adam and Eve— Enoch and Moses— Jesus on TCarth 
—The Apostasy— The Restoration— The Book of Mormon 153 

CHAPTER X 

THE LAST DAYS 

Confusion of the Last Days— Ultimate Triumph of Righteous- 
ness— Return to Jackson County— Coming of Chri&t— The- 
Milleunium— Rapid Movements in the Last Days— Zion— The 
Land of Zion— The City of Zion— Purpose of Gathering— The 
Jews and Jerusalem— The Indians or Lamanites . 170 

CHAPTER XI 

THE SCRIPTURES 

The Bible— the Standard Church Works— The Use of the 
Scriptures 191 

CHAPTER XII 
THE PRIESTHOOD 

The Priesthood— The First Presidency— The Apostle and 
Melchizedek Priesthood — The Bishop and the Aaroaic Priest- 
hood—Church Organization and Government . 201 

CHAPTER XIII 
THE FIRST PRINCIPLES OF THE GOSPEL 

Importance of the Principles of the Gospel— Need of Ordin- 
ances— Faith— Repentance— Baptism— The Gift of the Holy 
Ghost— Healing the Sick . 235 



CONTENTS XI 

CHAPTER XIV 

THE SABBATH; MEETINGS; THE SACRAMENT 

iiow to Spend the Sabbath Day—Worship on Every Day— 
Preaching and Listening m Meetings— Testimony Meetings— 
The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper . .... 254 

CHAPTER XV 

TITHING; THE UNITED ORDER 

The Law of Tithmg— The Lord has Given All— People Not 
Compelled to Pay Tithing— Use of the Tithing— The United 
Order 269 

CHAPTER XVI 

THE WORD OF WISDOM 

Moderation — The Word of Wisdom — Live Long — Eating for 
Health — Living Out-of-Doors — Exercise and Mental Vigor — 
Physiological Differences — Feeding Children — The Giving of the 
Wotd of Wisdom 282 

CHAPTER XVII 

THE FAMILY 

Virtue — Marriage — Do Not Marry Unbelievers — Birth Control — 
The Husband— The Wife — Children — Family Life— Importance 
of Early Training — Influence of the Mother — Teach Children the 
Gospel — Parents Should Teach by Example— Guides for Child 
Training— Need of Parent Training - 300 

CHAPTER XVIII 

SOME WOMANLY DUTIES 

The Housewife — Woman's Fashions-^-Some Duties of the Relief 
Societies .-. 329 

CHAPTER XIX 

OBEDIENCE 

Counsel— Obedience — Effect of Obedience— Obedience and Free 
Agency — Effects of Disobedience 338 



Xll CONTENTS 

CHAPTER XX 

GRATITUDE, HUMILITY, DEVOTION, LIBERALITY, 
HONESTY , 

Gratitude— Humility — Devotion to the Gospel — Give Ficely— 
Be Honest — Honest in Labor— Consistency and Sincerity 352 

CHAPTER XXI 

HAPPINESS AND SOCIAL ENJOYMENTS 

Saints Should be Happy—Social Amusements— Dancing— The 
Theater — Exclusions 362 

CHAPTER XXII 

EDUCATION 

Knowledge and Intelligence — A Religion of Impi ovemont — 
Knowledge to be Sought— Continuous Education — Effects of 
Education— Educate Our Children— Establish Schools — What to 
Study— Religions Education— Science and Religion— the Body 
and the Mind— Studies 111 Sunday Schools ,. . 377 

CHAPTER XXIII 

SELF CONTROL 

The Will of Man— Self -Control Necessary — Check your Words 
—Cease your Anger— Learn to Know Ourselves— Let us Mind 
our own Business , ... 406 

CHAPTER XXIV 

OUR FELLOW-MEN 

Love Each Other— Let us he Merciful— Show Chanty— Establish 
Confidence— Avoid Contention— Do not Deal Judgment— Respect 
for Neighbors— Lady and Gentleman Defined— The Negro— 
The Generous Nature . , 417 

CHAPTER XXV 

UNITY AND CO-OPERATION 

Be.of One Mind and One Heart— Perrcct Oneness will»Save 
a People— Unity m God's Work, the Strength of Zion— Ad- 
vantage of Temporal Unity— Unity Does not Mean Individual 
Uniformity — the Co-operative Movement . , . 433 



CONTENTS Xlii 

CHAPTER XXVI 

THRIFT (AND INDUSTRY 

Faith and Works— Time Should be Spent Wisely— Labor In- 
dispensable— Let Nothing go to Waste— We Must be a Self- 
sustaining People— The Elements of Wealth arc Around Us— 
Agriculture— Manufacturing— Commerce — Capital and Labor- 
Build Good Houses and Beautiful Cities— Accumulate Property 
—Debt 446 

CHAPTER XXVII 

WEALTH 

Wealth Belongs to the Lord— Uncertainty of Temporal Posses- 
sion? — The Sin of Covetousness— True Riches — Gold is not 
Wealth— How to Become Wealthy— Wealth Must be Used- 
Wealth Brings Happiness Only When Used for the Gospel — 
Some Dangers of Wealth— The Poor - 468 

CHAPTER XXVIII 

MISSIONARY WORK 

The Gospel to be Preached to all Men — Help to Save Every 
Person — Words to Departing Missionaries — Advice to Mission- 
aries in the Field — The Returned Missionary — The Gospel is 
Preached with Authority— The Spirit, not Logic or Debate, 
Makes Converts— Humility and Devotion, the Essentials- 
Preach only that which is Known— Hints to Teachers. . . . 489 

CHAPTER XXIX 

VISIONS, MYSTERIES AND MIRACLES 

Visions of a Personal Matter — Leave Alone Mysteries — Provi- 
dences of God, all Miracles — Miracles for Believers— Faith not 
Dependent on Miracles - --- 519 

CHAPTER XXX 

TRIALS AND PERSECUTION 

Trials are Necessary — Purpose of Persecution — Persecution 
May be Expected— Meet Trials Cheerfully— Cause of Persecu- 
tion — Disobedience Causes Persecution — Result of Persecution 
—Cannot Overtake Falsehood— Danger of Persecuting the 
Saints— Persecution Comes from Efforts of Few. 529 



XIV CONTENTS 

CHAPTER XXXI 
POLITICAL GOVERNMENT 

Theocratic Government— Republican Government— God and 
Go\ ernmenls— Fitness of Ruleis— Labor and Politics— Saints 
and Politics— The Constitution of U S an Inspired Document 
—The Saints Will Yet Sa\e the Constitution— Religious Libcity 
Should be Observed— Opposed to Coirupt Administrators of 
Law— The President of the U S— Political Parties— States' 
Rights— Forebodings of the Civil War— War— Woman Suffrage 543 

CHAPTER XXXII 
DEATH AND RESURRECTION 

The Body Must Return to Mother Earth— Man Should Live out 
His Days— We Should Not Mourn for the Righteous Dead— Our 
Identity will be Preserved— Our Bodies will be Resurrected— 
Jesus, the Fitst Fruits of the Resunection— The Resurrected 
Body— Resurrection Necessary to Full Salvation 564 

CHAPTER XXXIII 

THE SPIRIT WORLD 

All go to the Spirit World— Where is the Spirit World— Labois 
in the Spirit World— Life in the Spirit World 576 

CHAPTER XXXIV 

ETERNAL JUDGMENT 

Judgment Accoidmg to Works— Honesty in Action Will Tem- 
per Judgment— Hell Defined— The Second Death— Measure of 
Human Judgment - 584 

CHAPTER XXXV 
SALVATION 

Universal Salvation— The Way to Salvation— Sal vatio-n an In- 
dividual Work— Many Degrees of Salvation— Exaltation Pio- 
I ortioned to Capacity— The Celestial Kingdom , 592 

CHAPTER XXXVI 
TEMPLES AND SALVATION FOR THE DEAD 

Saints Always Commanded to Build Temples— Temples Indis- 
pensable for Higher Ordinances— Endowments Given m Tem- 
ples—Vicarious Work for the Dead in Temples— Who Should 
Represent the Dead— Saviors on Mount Zion— Powers of ftvil 
Opposed to Temple Building— The Salt Lake Temple— Address 
at the Laying of the Corner Stone of the Salt Lake Temple- St. 
George Temple . W2 



CHAPTER XXXVII 
MAN'S SEARCH FOR TRUTH AND SALVATION 

Man Desires Salvation — Humanity Loves Truth and Righteous- 
ness—Human Family Alike in Sentiments— A Variety of Hu- 
man Gifts— Man's Powers aie Limited — Man Must have Confi- 
dence in Himself — Man Always Dependent — We Must Fight 
Our Battles — How to Know Oneself — Our Good Character 
Must be Cherished— The Need of Leaders— Duty and Responsi- 
bility of Man .... 645 

CHAPTER XXXVIII 
TESTIMONY OF THE TRUTH 

All Latter-day Saints May Know the Gospel is True — How a 
Witness of the Truth is Won — Why Some Men Reject the Gos- 
pel — Testimony Not Built Upon a Man — Joseph Smith a Wit- 
ness of the Truth— A Duty to Listen to the Truth. . . 657 

CHAPTER XXXIX 
THE CHURCH AND KINGDOM OF GOD ON EARTH 

Israel — The Church and the Kingdom — An Object of the 
Church— The Kingdom of God to Develop Giadtially— The Ef- 
fect of the Kingdom of God — It Will Continue — The Business 
of Latter-day Saints — Individual Labor Required in the King- 
dom of God— The Kingdom of God or Nothing. . . . . 669 

CHAPTER XL 
SOME EFFECTS OF THE GOSPEL 
The Nature of the Gospel— Some of the Effects of the Gospel— 
His Personal Joy in the Gospel — Blessings Continued Upon 
Good Works — Increasing Blessings — Personal Blessings Upon 
the People 682 

CHAPTER X3LI 
JOSEPH SMITH THE PROPHET 
Joseph Smith, a Prophet of God — Joseph Called and Directed by 
God — The Development of the Prophet — What Joseph Taught 
— Results of the Prophet's Labors — Persecutions of the Prophet 
— The Prophet Harassed by Law-suits — Joseph of Good Char- 
acter—Why the Prophet was Killed — Joseph's Work in the 
Spirit World — Nature of the Prophet and His Family— The 
Twelve, the Successors of the Prophet— Some Sayings of the 

Prophet 700 

CHAPTER XLII 
THE SETTLEMENT IN THE WEST 
The Journey Across the Plains — The Mormon Battalion — Set- 
tlement in the Great Salt Lake Valley 722 



Discourses- of Brigham Young 



CHAPTER 1 
THE GOSPEL DEFINED 

Composed of Eternal Laws—The Gospel of the Son of 
God that has been revealed is a plan or system of laws and 
ordinances, by strict obedience to which the people who 
inhabit this earth are assured that they may return again 
into the presence of the Father and the Son. 13 :233.* 

The laws of the Gospel are neither more nor less than 
a few of the principles of eternity revealed to the people, 
by which they can return to heaven from whence they 
came. We delight in the heavenly law — in that law that 
will preserve us to all eternity. 8 208. 

The laws and ordinances which the Lord has revealed 
in these latter days, are calculated to save all the sons and 
daughters of Adam and Eve who have not sinned against 
the Holy Ghost, for all will be saved in a kingdom of glory, 
though it may not be in the celestial kingdom/ for there 
are many mansions. IS :122. 

Our religion is nothing more nor less than the true 
order of heaven — the system of laws by which the gods 
and the angels are governed. Are they governed by law? 
Certainly. There is no being in all the eternities but what 
is governed by law. Who desires to have liberty and no 
law? They who are from beneath. 14:280. 

*The numbers at the end of each excerpt refer to the volume and 
page of the Journal of Discourses. Where the excerpt occurs thus, 
13 :23$, it means Journal of Discourses, volume 13, page 333, 



2 DISCOURSES OV BRIGIIAM YOUNG 

Our religion, in common with everything of which God 
is the Author, is a system of law and order He has in- 
stituted laws and ordinances for the government and bene- 
fit of the children of men, to see if they would obey them 
and prove themselves woithy of eternal life by the law 
of the celestial worlds This holy Pncsthood that we talk 
about is a perfect system of government By obedience to 
these laws we expect to enter the celestial kingdom and to 
be exalted 14.95. 

The principles of truth and goodness, and of eternal 
lives and the p0A\er of God are horn eternity to eternity. 
The principle of falsehood and wickedness, the power of 
the Devil and the power of death are also fiom eternity to 
eternity. These two powers have ever existed and always 
will exist m all the eternities that are yet to come. 11 234 

Embraces All Truth— Our religion mcasuies, weighs, 
and circumscribes all the wisdom in the world — all that 
God has ever revealed to man. God has revealed all the 
truth that is now in the possession of the world, whether 
it be scientific or religious The whole world are under 
obligation to him for what they know and enjoy ; they are 
indebted to him for it all, and I acknowledge him in all 
things 8:162 

I want to say to my friends that we believe in all good. 
If you can find a truth in heaven, earth or hell, it belongs 
to our doctrine. We believe it; it is ours; we claim it. 
13-335 

In a word, if "MTormonism" is not my life, I do not know 
that I have any. I do not understand anything else, for it 
embraces everything that comes within the range of the 
understanding of man. If it does not circumscribe every- 



THE GOSPEL DEFINED 3 

thing that is in heaven and on earth, it is not what it 
purports to be. 2:123, 

Our religion is simply the truth. It is all said in this 
one expression— it embraces all truth, wherever found, in 
all the works of God and man that are visible or invisible to 
mortal eye. 10:251. 

The Gospel is simple, it is plain. 

There is no mystery throughout the whole plan of sal- 
vation, only to those who do not understand 3 "367 

"Mormonism" embraces all truth that is revealed and 
that is unrevealed, whether religious, political, scientific, 
oi philosophical. 9:149. 

It comprehends all true science known by man, angels, 
and the gods. There is one true system and science of 
life, all else tends to death. That system emanates from 
the Fountain of life 8 70. 

True science, true art and true knowledge comprehend 
all that are in heaven or on the earth, or in all the eternities. 
By these all beings exist, whether they be celestial, terres- 
tial or telcstial ; or whether they are from beneath and dwell 
with the devils among the damned. All truth is ours, 
14-281 

"Where is your code, your particular creed?" says one 
It fills eternity; it is all truth in heaven, on earth or in 
hell. This is "Mormonism." It embraces every true sci- 
ence; all true philosophy. 14:280. 

The philosophy of the heavens and the earth of the 
worlds that are, that were, and that are yet to come into 
existence, -is all in the Gospel that we have embraced. 
Every true philosopher, so far as he understands the prin' 
ciples of truth, has so much of the Gospel, and so far he is 
a Latter-day Saint, whether he knows it or not. Our 



4 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

Father, the great God, is the author of the sciences, he is 
the great mechanic, he is the systematizer of all things, he 
plans and devises all things, and every particle of knowl- 
edge which man has in his possession is the gift o£ God, 
whether they consider it divine, or whether it is the wisdom 
of man, it belongs to God, and he has bestowed it upon 
us, his children dwelling here upon the earth 18 :359. 

A fact is a fact, all truth issues forth from the Fountain 
of truth, and the sciences are facts as far as men have 
proved them. 14:117. 

"Mormonism," so-called, embraces every principle per- 
taining to life and salvation, for time and eternity. No 
matter who has it. If the infidel has got truth it belongs 
to "Mormonism." The truth and sound doctrine possessed 
by the sectarian world, and they have a great deal, all 
belongs to this Chuich As for their morality, many of them 
are, morally, just as good as we are. All that is good, lovely, 
and praiseworthy belongs to this Church and Kingdom. 
"Mormonism" includes all truth. There is no truth but 
what belongs to the Gospel. It is life, eternal life; it is 
bliss ; it is the fulness of all things in the gods and in the 
eternities of the gods. 11:375. 

,We wish to frame, fashion and build after the pattern 
that God has revealed ; and in doing so we take all the laws, 
rules, ordinances and regulations contained in the Scrip- 
tures and practice them as far as possible, and then keep 
learning and improving until we can live by every word 
that proceeds out of the mouth of God. 13 :238. 

The Lord reveals a little here and a little there, line 
upon line, and he will continue to do so until we can reach 
into eternity and embrace a fulness of his glory, excellency 
and power. 13 :241. 



THE GOSPEL DEFINED 5 

Truth will endure for ever and for ever, and every man 
that preaches the Gospel of salvation may take the old text 
that some of us took in the commencement of the building 
up of the Kingdom of God upon the earth m the last days. 
I took truth for my text, salvation for my subject, and the 
whole world for my circuit, to go as far as I could and talk 
all I could about it It takes every truth from every sect 
and party. What ! in a civil capacity also ? Yes, All law, 
all powers, all kingdoms, and all thrones, — in fine, all things 
are under the control of God. 7:148. 

When the Gospel of the Son of God is introduced 
among the children of men, it comes with light and intelli- 
gence, with pure and holy principles. It embraces all 
morality, all virtue, all light, all intelligence, all greatness, 
and all goodness It introduces a system of laws and 
ordinances and a code of moral rectitude which, if obeyed 
by the human family, will lead them back to the presence 
of God 11-235. 

For me, the plan of salvation must be a system that is 
pure and holy in all its points; it must reveal things that 
no other church or kingdom can reveal; it must circum- 
scribe the knowledge that is upon the face of the earth, 
or it is not from God. Such a plan incorporates every 
system of true doctrine on the earth, whether it be eccle- 
siastical, moral, philosophical, or civil; it incorporates all 
good laws that have been made from the days of Adam 
until now; it swallows up the laws of nations, for it ex- 
ceeds them all in knowledge and purity, it circumscribes 
the doctrines of the day, and takes from the right and the 
left, and brings all truth together in one system, and leaves 
the chaff to be scattered hither and thither. That is the 
proof to me, and has been from the beginning, that the 



6 DISCOURSES OF BMGHAM YOUNG 

principles are pure and holy, and every person living 1 to 
them will attain through them sanctification 7*148 

I will tell you who the real fanatics are they are they 
who adopt false principles and ideas as facts, and try to 
establish a superstructure upon a false foundation. They 
are the fanatics; and however aident and zealous they may 
be, they may reason or argue on false premises till dooms- 
day, and the lesult will be false 13 .271. 

Increasing Knowledge of Gospel— I want to say that 
we are foi the tiuth, the whole truth and nothing but the 
truth; we are pursuing the path of truth, and by and by 
we expect to possess a great deal more than we do now; 
but to say that we shall ever possess all truth, I pause ; I 
do not know when 14:196, 

The laws that the Lord has given are not fully peifect, 
because the people could not receive them m their perfect 
fulness ; but they can receive a little here and a little there, 
a little today and a little tomonow, a little moie next week, 
and a little more in advance of that next year, if they make 
a wise improvement upon every little they receive , if they 
do not, they are left in the shade, and the light which the 
Lord reveals will appeal daikness to them, and the king- 
dom of heaven will tiavel on and leave them groping. 
Hence, if we wish to act upon the fulness of the knowledge 
that the Loid designs to reveal, little by little, to the in- 
habitants of the eaith, we must improve upon every little 
as it is revealed. 2 314 

W'e know enough to damn us, and when we know 
enough for that, we know enough to save us, if that knowl- 
edge is improved upon 6 198. 

Holds Power of Priesthood— The Gospel which we 
preach is the Gospel of life and salvation. The Chinch 



THE GOSPEL DEFINED 7 

which we represent is the Church and Kingdom of God, 
and possesses the only faith by which the children of men 
can be brought back into the presence of our Father and 
God The Lord has set his hands to restore all things as 
m the beginning, and by the administration of his holy 
Priesthood, save all who can be saved, cleanse from the 
world the consequences of the Fall and give it to the hands 
of his Saints 

The Gospel of salvation — the Priesthood of the Son of 
God — is so ordered and organized, in the very nature of it, 
being a portion of that law of heaven by which worlds are 
organized, that it is calculated to enlighten the children of 
men and give them power to save themselves. It is of the 
same nature as the further principles of eternal existence 
by which the worlds are and were, and by which they will 
endure; and these principles are pure in their nature, from 
the fact that they are of God, who is pure; but, without 
the revelation of the Spirit of God, no man can understand 
them. That is the peculiarity there is about this mysteii- 
ous work. 7 .54. 

The power of all truth dwells in the bosom* of our 
Father and God, which he dispenses to his children as he 
will, by the means of his eternal Priesthood. He is en- 
throned m the light, glory and power of truth. He has 
abided the truth, and is thereby exalted, and his power, 
light and glory are eternal. The Gospel and the Priest- 
hood are the means he employs to save and exalt his obedi- 
ent children to the possession with him of the same glory 
and power to be crowned with crowns of glory, immortal- 
ity and eternal lives. 9 :330. 

Now, 'we say to the people of the nineteenth century, 
and we speak the truth and he not, whosoever believes that 



S DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

Joseph Smith, Junior, was a Prophet sent of God, and was 
ordained by him to leceive and hold the keys of the holy 
Priesthood, which is after the order of the Son of God, 
and power to build up the Kingdom of God upon the earth, 
to gather the House of Israel, to guide all who believe and 
obey to redemption, to restore that which has been lost 
through transgression — whosoever believes this, believing 
in the Lord, and obeying his commandments to the end 
of their lives, their names shall not be blotted out of the 
Lamb's book of life, and they shall receive crowns of glory, 
immortality, and eternal life This is for the nineteenth 
century, for the generation of people now living. 12:101. 

The Gospel of Life and Salvatidn — We have something 
more than morality alone to teach the people. What is 
it ? It is how to redeem the human family. 19.47. 

I will now say to my friends,— and I call you all, and 
all mankind, friends, until you have proved yourselves 
enemies, — you who do not belong to this Church, that we 
have got the Gospel of life and salvation I do not say that 
we have a Gospel, but I say that we have the definite and 
only Gospel that ever was or ever will be that will save 
the children of men, 12:313. 

It Takes the Whole Man to Make a Saint-— There are no 
exceptions in "Mormonism." Learn so to think and direct 
your acts in every transaction of life, that we may over- 
come the evil that is sown within us. Overcome the inward 
enemy; then we can overcome the Devil's kingdom. And 
while others choose evil principles and build upon a founda- 
tion which leads to destruction, let us build upon the prin- 
ciples of eternal salvation, as we have striven to do all the 
daylong. 766. 

The doctrines of salvation are the same now as they 



THE GOSPEL DEFINED 9 

were in the days of Adam, or Elijah, or Jesus, when he was 
upon the earth 5 '229. 

We have brought the doctrine of life and salvation to 
you, that you may exchange your low, narrow, contracted, 
selfish dispositions for the ennobling Spirit of the Lord, for 
the Spirit of the Gospel, which gives joy and peace. If you 
enjoy that, your food will be sweet to you, your sleep will 
be refreshing, and your days will pass away in usefulness 
3.119. 

We have as good a right to adopt tenets in our religion 
as the Church of England, or the Methodists, or Baptists, 
or any other denomination have in theirs. Our doctrine is 
a Bible doctrine, a patriarchal doctrine, and is the doctrine 
of the gods of eternity, and of the heavens, and was re- 
vealed to our fathers on the earth, and will save the world 
at last 2:187. 

The revelations of the Lord Jesus Christ are sweeter 
than honey or the honeycomb. We can eat, and continue 
to eat ; drink, and continue to drink. Is there durable satis- 
faction ? Yes. I am in the height of my enjoyment. All 
the pleasure and all the joy that can be bestowed upon a 
finite being is in the Gospel of salvation, through the Spirit 
of revelation, upon the creature — u P on the Saint of God — 
old or young, male or female. Not that this comparison 
fully conveys the idea ; for the language of mortals fails to 
fully portray the joys of the Gospel of life everlasting. 
8:139. 

We have the Gospel of life and salvation, to make bad 
men good and good men better. We are to preach, exhort 
expound, continue in our duty, be fervent in spirit, bearing 
and forbearing with our brethren, being filled with love 
and kindness. 8:130. 



10 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

There is no freedom anywhere outside the Gospel of 
salvation. 5 '52. 

Offers Salvation to s All— A few here and a few there 
will receive the truth, and the Lord will empty the eaith of 
the wickedness that now dwells upon it 8.195. 

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the opening avenue— 
the open gate in the load or way from earth to heaven, 
through which direct revelation comes to the children of 
men m their vaiious capacities, according to their callings 
and standing in the society in which they live. The Gospel 
of salvation is a poition of the law that pertains to the 
kingdom where God resides, and the ordinances pertain- 
ing to the holy Priesthood aie the means by which the 
children of men find access to the way of life, wherein they 
can extend their travels until they return to the piesence 
of their Father and God. 8 159 

"But as many as received him, to them gave he power 
to continue to be the sons of God." Instead of receiving 
the Gospel to become the sons of God, my language would 
be — to receive the Gospel that we may continue to be the 
sons of God. Are we not all sons of God when we are 
born into this world? Old Pharaoh, King of Egypt, was 
just as much a son of God as Moses and Aaron weic his 
sons, with this difference— he rejected the word of the 
Lord, the true light, and they received it For "this is the 
condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men 
love darkness rather than light, because their deeds are 
evil " Then we receive not the Gospel that we may become 
the sons of God but that we may remain the sons of God 
without rebuke. Inasmuch as all had apostatized, they had 
to become the sons of God by adoption, still, originally, all 
were the sons of God. We receive the Gospel, not that we 



THE GOSPEL DEFINED 11 

may have our names written in the Lamb's book of life, 
but that our names may not be blotted out of that book. 
"For," sailh the Lord, "He that overcometh, the same shall 
be clothed m white raiment, and I will not blot out his name 
out of the book of life " Why ? Because he had overcome 
through his faithfulness My doctrine is — that there never 
was a son and daughter of Adam and Eve born on this 
earth whose names were not already written in the Lamb's 
book of life, and there they will remain until their conduct 
is such that the angel who keeps the record is authorized 
to blot them out and record them elsewhere 12:100-101. 

In conveisation not long since with a visitor who was 
about returning to the Eastein States, said he, "You, as 
a people, consider that you are perfect?" "Oh, no," said I, 
"not by any means. Let me define to you. The doctrine 
that we have embraced is perfect, but when we come to 
the people, we have just as many imperfections as you can 
ask for. We are not perfect ; but the Gospel that we preach 
is calculated to perfect the people so that they can obtain 
a glorious resurrection and enter into the presence of the 
Father and the Son." 11:304. 

Our motive is to make every man and woman to know 
just as much as we do; this is the plan of the Gospel, and 
this is what I would like to do. I would like all the Latter- 
day Saints to come up to this standard, and know as much 
as I do, and then just as much more as they can learn, and 
if they can get ahead of me, all right 19 96. 

We declare it to all the inhabitants of the earth from 
the valleys in the tops of these mountains that we are the 
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — not a church 
but the Church — and we have the doctrine of life and sal- 
vation for all the honest-in-heart in all the world, 12 173 



12 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

This Gospel will save the whole human family; the 
blood of Jesus will atone foi our sins, if we accept the teims 
he has laid down ; but we must accept those terms or else 
it will avail nothing in our behalf, 

A Guide in Daily Life— I reduce the Gospel to the pres- 
ent time, circumstances and condition of the people. 10*1. 

That system that brings present security and peace is 
the best to live by, and the best to die by ; it is the best for 
doing- business, it is the best for making fanus, for building 
cities and temples, and that system is the law of God, But 
it requires strict obedience. The rule of right, and the 
line which God has drawn for the people to walk by insures 
peace, comfort, and happiness now and eternal glory and 
exaltation; but nothing short of strict obedience to God's 
law will do this 13 241. 

We do not allow ourselves to go into a field to plough 
without taking our religion with us ; we do not ^o into an 
office, behind the counter to deal out goods, into a count- 
ing house with the books, or anywhere to attend to oi trans- 
act any business without taking our leligion with us. If 
we are railroading or on a pleasure trip our God and our 
religion must be with us. We are the most religious people 
in the world ; but we are not so enthusiastic as some are. 
We have seen plenty of enthusiasm, but we do not caie 
about it. Said I, "This shouting and singing one's self 
away to everlasting bliss, may be all very well in its place, 
but this alone is folly to me; my religion is to know the 
will of God and do it." 14 118, 

With God, and also with those who understand the 
principles of life and salvation, the Priesthood, the oracles 
of truth and the gifts and callings of God to the children 
of men, there is no difference in spiritual and temporal 



THE GOSPEL DEFINED 13 

labors — all are one. If I am in the line of my duty, I am 
doing* the will of God, whether I am preaching, praying, 
laboring with my hands for an honorable support , whether 
I am in the field, mechanic's shop, or following mercantile 
business, or wherever duty calls, I am serving God as much 
in one place as another; and so it is with all, each in his 
place, turn and time. 13 :260. 

Our religion descends to the whole life of man, although 
some, sometimes, say, there is divine law, there is human 
law, and there are principles which pertain to our religion 
and there are principles which pertain to the philosophy of 
the world But let me here say to you, that the philosophy 
of the religion of heaven incorporates every truth that there 
is in heaven, on earth, or in hell. 15 .125. 

My mission to trie people is to teach them with regard 
to their every-day lives. I presume there are many here 
who have heard me say, years and years ago, that I cared 
very little about what will take place after the Millennium. 
Elders may preach long discourses concerning what took 
place m the days of Adam, what occurred before the crea- 
tion, and what will take place thousands of years from now, 
talking of things which have occurred or that will occur 
yet, of which they are ignorant, feeding the people on wind; 
but that is not my method of teaching. My desire is to 
teach the people what they should do now, and let the Mil- 
lennium take care of itself. To teach them to serve God 
and to build up his Kingdom is my mission. I have taught 
faith, repentance, baptism for the remission of sins, and the 
laying on of hands for the reception of the Holy Ghost. We 
are to be taught with regard to our every-day life in a tem- 
poral point of view. 12:228. 

Our religion incorporates every act and word of man. 



14 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

No man should go to merchandising unless he docs it in 
God; no man should go to fanning or any other business 
unless he does it in the Lord. No man of council should 
sit to judge the people but what should judge in the Lord, 
that he may righteously and impartially dtscein between 
right and wrong, truth and error, light and daikness, jus- 
tice and injustice Should any legislature sit without the 
Lord? If it do, sooner or later it will fall to pieces No 
nation ever did live that counseled and tiansactcd its na- 
tional affairs without the Loid, but what soonei 01 latei 
went to pieces and came to naught. The same is true of 
all the nations that now live or ever will live 13 60. 

This Gospel is full of good sense, judgment, disci etion 
and intelligence. 14:17. 

No matter how true and beautiful truth is, you have to 
take the passions of the people and mould them to the law 
of God. 7:55. 

A Fountain of Truth— The Gospel is a fountain of truth, 
and truth is what we are after. We have embraced the 
truth— namely, the Gospel of the Son of God Its first prin- 
ciples are to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, to repent of 
our sins, then go down into the waters of baptism for the 
remission of our sins, and have hands laid upon us for the 
reception of the Holy Ghost, which will lead us into all 
truth 12-68 

Truth will abide when eiror passes away Life will 
remain when they who have i ejected the words of eternal 
life are swallowed up in death I like the truth because it 
is true, because it is lovely and delightful, because it is so 
glorious in its nature, and so worthy the admiration, faith 
and consideration of all intelligent beings in heaven or on 
the earth. Should I be hated and my name cast out as 



THE GOSPEL DEFINED 15 

evil because I love the truth? Yes, or the words of Jesus 
could not be fulfilled, for he said, "Ye shall be hated of all 
men for my name's sake " He told his disciples to rejoice 
evermore and to pray without ceasing when they were held 
in derision by their enemies, and to lift up their heads and 
rejoice when all men spoke evil of them, for "behold your 
redemption draweth nigh." 13 216. 

To me it is more rational for an intelligent being to 
embrace truth, than it is to mix up a little truth with a 
great deal of error, or to embrace all error and undertake 
to follow a phantom 13 :235. 

Some who call themselves Christians are very tenacious 
with regard to the Universalians, yet the latter possess 
many excellent ideas and good truths Have the Catholics? 
Yes, a great many very excellent truths. Have the Protest- 
ants? Yes, from first to last. Has the infidel ? Yes, he 
has a good deal of truth; and truth is all over the earth 
The earth could not stand but for the light and truth it 
contains. The people could not abide were it not that truth 
holds them. It is the Fountain of truth that feeds, clothes, 
and gives light and intelligence to the inhabitants of the 
earth, no matter whether they are saints or sinners. Do 
you think there is any truth in hell ? Yes, a great deal, and 
where truth is there we calculate the Lord has a right to be. 
You will not find the Lord where there is no truth. 12 70. 

If you love the truth you can remember it 3 :358 

Again, what do you love truth for?' Is it because you 
can discover a beauty in it, because it is congenial to you , 
or because you think it will make you a ruler, or a Lord? 
If you conceive that you will attain to power upon such a 
motive, you are much mistaken It is a trick of the unseen 
power, that is abroad amongst the inhabitants of the earth, 



16 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

that leads them astray , t binds their minds, and subverts 
their understanding 

Suppose that our Father in heaven, our Eldei Brother, 
the risen Redeemer, the Savior of the woild, or any of 
the gods of eternity should act upon this principle, to love 
truth, knowledge, and wisdom, because they are all power- 
ful, and by the aid of this power they could send devils to 
hell, torment the people of the earth, exercise soveieignty 
over them, and make them miserable at their pleasure ; they 
would cease to be Gods, and as fast as they adopted and 
acted upon such principles, they would become devils, and 
be thrust down in the twinkling of an eye ; the extension of 
their kingdom would cease, and their Godhead come to an 
end. 

No man can disprove a truth. 8*132. 

What do you know on natural principles? I do not say 
natural philosophy, because my religion is natural philos- 
ophy. You never heard me preach a doctrine but what 
has a natural system to it, and, when understood, is as easy 
to comprehend as that two and two equal four All the 
revelations of the Lord Almighty to the children of men, 
and all revealed doctrines of salvation are upon natural 
principles, upon natural philosophy. When I use this term, 
I use it as synonomous with the plan of salvation ; natural 
philosophy is the plan of salvation, and the plan of salva- 
tion is natural philosophy. 4 -202. 

Our doctrine and practice is, and I have made it mine 
through life — to receive truth no matter where it comes 
from. 14-160 

When we demonstrate a truth, we demonstrate a por- 
tion of the faith, law, or power by which all intelligent be- 
ings exist, whether in heaven or on earth, consequently 



THE GOSPEL DEFINED 17 

when we have truth in our possession we have so much of 
the knowledge of God. I delight in this, because truth is 
calculated to sustain itself; it is based upon eternal facts 
and will endure, while all else will, sooner or later, perish, 
14.115. 

All truth is worthy and worth possessing. 19 .39. 

How easy it is to live by the truth. Did you ever think 
of it, my friends ? Did you ever think of it, my brethren 
and sisters? In every circumstance of life, no matter 
whether among the humble or lofty, truth is always the 
surest guide and the easiest to square our lives by. 14 :76. 

Be willing to receive the truth, let it come from whom 
it may ; no difference, not a particle. Just as soon receive 
the Gospel from Joseph Smith as from Peter, who lived in 
the days of Jesus. Receive it from one man as soon as 
another If God has called an individual and sent him to 
preach the Gospel that is enough for me to know ; it is no 
matter who it is, all I want is to know the truth. 14:136. 

All truth is for the salvation of the children of men — 
for the benefit and learning— for their furtherance in the 
principles of divine knowledge, and divine knowledge is 
any matter of fact — truth ; and all truth pertains to divinity. 
7:284 

We Need a Practical Religion — I am preaching to you 
practical religion. 13:155. 

I am decidedly in favor of practical religion — of every- 
day useful life. And if I today attend to what devolves 
upon me to do, and then do that which presents itself to- 
morrow, and so on, when eternity comes I will be prepared 
to enter on the things of eternity. But I would not be 
prepared for that sphere of action, unless I could manage 



18 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

the things that aie now within my reach You must all 
learn to do this 5.3, 

I still feel to uige upon the Latter-day Saints the neces- 
sity of a close application of the principles of the Gospel in 
our lives, conduct and words and a'l that wc do; and it 
requires the whole man, the whole life to be devoted to 
improvement in order to come to knowledge of the truth 
as it is in Jesus Christ Herein is the fulness of perfection 
It was couched in the chaiacter of our Savior, although but 
a scanty poition of it was made manifest to the people, in 
consequence of their not being able to receive it All they 
were prepared to receive he gave them All we are pre- 
pared to receive the Lord gives us; all that the nations of 
the earth are prepaicd to receive he imparts unto them, 
12 255-256 

On reading carefully the Old and New Testaments wc 
can discover that the majority of the revelations given to 
mankind anciently were in regard to their daily duties ; we 
follow in the same path The revelations contained in the 
Bible and the Book of Mormon are examples to us, and the 
book of Doctrine and Covenants contains direct revelation 
to this Church , they are a guide to us, and we do not wish 
to do them away; we do not want them to become obsolete 
and to set them aside. We wish to continue in the revela- 
tions of the Loi d Jesus Christ day by day, and to have his 
Spirit with us continually. If we can do this, we shall no 
more walk in darkness but we shall walk in the light of 
life. 10:284 

, If we wish to enjoy the Spirit of Zion, we must live for it 
Our religion is not merely theory ; it is a practical religion, 
to bring present enjoyment to every heart 8 .33. 

At times when I think of addressing you, it occurs to 



THE GOSPEL DEFINED 19 

me that strict sermonizing upon topics pertaining to the 
distant future, or reviewing the history of the past, will 
doubtless please and highly interest a portion of my 
hearers; but my judgment and the spirit of intelligence 
that is in me teach that, by taking such a course, the people 
would not be instructed pertaining to their every-day duties 
For this reason, I do not feel impressed to instruct you on 
duties to be performed a hundred years hence, but lather 
to give those instructions pertaining to the present, to our 
daily walk and conversation, that we may know how to 
benefit ourselves under the passing time, and present pnv- 
lleges, and be able to lay a foundation for future happiness 
3.272. 

The work of building up Zion is in every sense a prac- 
tical work ; it is not a mere theory A theoretical religion 
amounts to very little real good or advantage to any person 
To possess an inheritance in Zion or in Jerusalem only in 
theory — only in imagination— would be the same as having 
no inheritance at all It is necessary to get a deed of it, 
to make an inheritance practical, substantial and profit- 
able. Then let us not rest contented with a mere theoreti- 
cal religion, but let it be practical, self-purifying and self- 
sustaining, keeping the love of God withm us, walking by 
every precept, by every law, and by every word that is 
given to lead us, 9:284. 

The religion of Jesus Christ is a matter-of-fact religion, 
and taketh hold of the every-day duties and realities of this 
life 11:133. 

I am in the hands of the Lord, and never trouble my- 
self about my salvation, or what the Lord will do with 
me hereafter. It is for me to do the will of God today, and 
when tomorrow comes, to inquire what is his will con- 



20 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

cerning me ; then do the will of my Father in the work he 
has appointed me to do, and that is enough for me. I am 
serving a God who will give me all I merit, when I come 
to receive my reward. This is what 1 have always thought ; 
and if I still think so, it is enough for me. 6.276. 

Temporal Labors are Necessary — In the mind of God 
there is no such a thing as dividing spiritual from temporal, 
or temporal from spiritual ; for they are one in the Lord 
11:18. 

The brethren have been talking about temporal things. 
We cannot talk about spiritual things without connecting 
with them temporal things, neither can we talk about tem- 
poral things without connecting spiritual things with them 
They are inseparably connected. 10 "329. 

I cannot, however, define any difference between tem- 
poral and spiritual labors. I call it spiritual to accommo- 
date my language to the ideas of the people. Anything that 
pertains to the buHding up of the Lord's kingdom on caith, 
whether it Tbe in preaching the Gospel or building temples 
to his name, we have been taught to consider a spiritual 
work, though it evidently requires the strength of the nat- 
ural body to perform it. 2:95. 

Be wise: be as wise as the generations of this world. 
In the days of Jesus, those who received the kingdom and 
the spirit of the kingdom seemed to lose all sight of a tem- 
poral salvation; and Jesus said to his disciples, "The chil- 
dren of this world are wiser in their generations than the 
children of light." The children of light did not know how 
to sustain themselves ; they did not understand how to pre- 
serve themselves and the kingdom with them. 4:343. 

If you cannot provide for your natural lives, how can 
you expect to have wisdom to obtain eternal lives? God 



THE GOSPEL DEFINED 21 

has given you your existence — your body and spirit, and 
has blest you with ability, and thereby laid the founda- 
tion of all knowledge, wisdom, and understanding, and all 
glory and eternal lives If you have not attained ability to 
provide for your natural wants, and for a wife and a few 
children, what have you to do with heavenly things p 8 :68 

We cannot even enter the temple when it is built, and 
perform those ordinances which lead to spiritual blessings, 
without performing a temporal labor Temporal ordinances 
must be performed to secure the spiritual blessings the 
Great Supreme has in store for his faithful children Every 
act is first a temporal act. The Apostle says, faith comes 
by hearing. What should be heard to produce faith? The 
preaching of the Word For that we must have a preacher , 
and he is not an invisible spirit, but a temporal, ordinary 
man like ourselves, and subject to the same regulations and 
rules of life To preach the Gospel is a temporal labor, and 
to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ is the result of a tem- 
poral labor To be baptized is a temporal labor, both to the 
person administered to and the administrator I am a liv- 
ing witness to the truth of this statement, for I have made 
my feet sore many a time, and tired myself out traveling 
and preaching, that by hearing the Gospel the people might 
have faith. The blessings we so earnestly desire will come 
to us by performing the manual labor required, and thus 
preparing all things necessary to receive the invisible bless- 
ings Jehovah has for his children. 9:240. 

There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. 
All things are natural, and all are spiritual Every duty of 
life, no matter what it is, every requirement necessary to 
sustain and exalt man, is incorporated in the Kingdom of 
God and in the ordinances of his house— in the duties God 



22 DISCOURSES OF BRIGtlAM YOUNG 

requnes of his childien It is all in the Chuich and King- 
dom of om God "What' our labor?" Yes. 1 sometimes 
take the liberty of preaching upon economy to this people. 
Peihaps some are inclined to think that in so doing I tran- 
scend my own duties and obligations I do not. I instruct 
the husbandman how to till hts farm, because I know and 
undeistand the nature of the elements that produce grain 
better than he does I know how he should prepaie the 
elements for the seed to produce the mciease which he 
desnes in the things necessary to sustain himself and fam- 
ily. It is my duty to instruct my btethien, if I understand 
my branch of business better than they do If I undei stand 
how to make myself comfortable— if I understand better 
than others do the organization of the elements Cod has 
given us ability to operate with for our beneFit, it is m> 
duty to instruct them Heie are the elements They are 
not made in vain, but are made for the benefit, comfort, 
convenience, and happiness of God's childien 

The principles of eternity and eternal exaltation are ot 
no use to us, unless they are brought down to our capacities 
so that we piactice them in our lives 4.28 

We Need a Present, Every-day Religion— My religion 
must be with me from one Monday morning to the next, the 
year around, or it will not answer me 1 338 

The Gospel of Jesus Christ, as it is given in the Old and 
New Testaments, the Book of Mormon, the book of Doc- 
trine and Covenants, and in the experience of every true 
Christian who has lived and still lives upon the earth, 
teaches that it is the privilege of eveiy Saint so to live and 
walk before their God, as to enjoy the light of the spirit of 
truth from day to day, from week to week, and from year 
to year, through their whole lives Without this privilege 



1 tJE GOSPEL DEFINED 23 

in the Gospel", connected with the gifts of the Holy Ghost, 
I should be inclined to believe that the religion that is 
taught in the Bible and in d the Book of Mormon, would 
amount to nothing more than a mere phantom— an imag- 
inary thing. It would be inadequate to satisfy, m any de- 
gree, the mind of man, as it is now organized 1 .233. 

Were it not that our bodies have to be fed and clothed, 
I would propose that we tarry here a few months, to give 
all a chance to speak, to exhort, to pray, to prophesy, to 
sing, to speak in tongues, or to do whatsoever the Spirit 
should manifest unto them. But our work is a work of 
the present The salvation we are seeking is for the pres- 
ent, and sought correctly, it can be obtained, and be con- 
tinually enjoyed. If it continues to-day, it is upon the same 
principle that it will continue to-morrow, the next day, the 
next week, or the next year, and, we might say, the next 
eternity 1:131. 

It is present salvation and the present influence of the^ 
Holy Ghost that we need every day to keep us on saving 
ground When an individual refuses to comply with the 
further requirements of Heaven, then the sins he had form- 
erly committed return upon his head , his former righteous- 
ness departs from him, and is not accounted to him for 
righteousness ; but if he had continued in righteousness and 
obedience to the requirements of Heaven, he is saved all the 
time, through baptism, the laying on of hands, and obey- 
ing the commandments of the Lord and all that is required 
of him by the heavens — the living oracles He is saved 
now, next week, next year, and continually, and is pre- 
pared for the celestial kingdom of God whenever the time 
comes for him to inherit it. 8:124 

There is no life more precious than the present life which 



24 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

we enjoy, there is no life that is worth any more to us than 
this life is It may be said that an eternal life is worth 
more. We are in eternity, and all that we have to do is to 
take the road that leads into the eternal lives. Eternal life 
is an inherent quality of the creature, and nothing but sin 
can put a termination to it The elements in their nature 
are as eternal as are the gods Let us learn, under the guid- 
ance and direction of Heaven, how to use these eternal ele- 
ments for the building- up, establishment and sending forth, 
of the Kingdom of God, gathering up the poor in heart to 
begin with, and the further things we will learn as we 
progress. 10 -22. 

I wish ,to urge upon the people the necessity of know- 
ing what to do with their present life, which pertains more 
particularly to temporalities The very object of our ex- 
istence here is to handle the temporal elements of this world 
and subdue the earth, multiplying those oiganisms of plants 
and animals God has designed shall dwell upon it When 
we have learned to live according to the full value of the 
life we now possess, we are prepared for eternal advance- 
ment in the scale of eternal progression— for a more glo- 
rious and exalted sphere. 9 168 

Tradition has taught us that the gieat purpose of relig- 
ion is to prepare people to die; that when they have passed 
through a change of heart, become converted, then they arc 
ready for glory at any moment and to dwell with the Fathet 
and the Son in the heavens to all eternity. This is a mis- 
take; for they have to improve, become substantially 
changed from bad to good, from sin to holiness, here or 
somewhere else, before they are prepared for the society they 
anticipate enjoying. They would not be nearly so well 
prepared for the society of the sanctified in heaven as a per- 



THE GOSPEL DEFINED 25 

son brought up in the lowest classes of society would be 
prepared to present properly and conduct himself among 
the highest and most polished grades of mankind Those 
who are counted worthy to dwell with the Father and the 
Son have previously received an education fitting them for 
that society; they have been made fully acquainted with 
every pass-word, token and sign which has enabled them 
to pass by the porters through the doors into the celestial 
kingdom 10.172. 

I want present salvation I preach, comparatively, but 
little about the eternities and Gods, and their wonderful 
works in eternity, and do not tell who first made them, nor 
how they were made, for I know nothing about that. Life 
is for us, and it is for us to receive it today, and not wait 
foi the Millennium Let us take a course to be saved today, 
and, when evening comes, review the acts of the day, repent 
of our sins, if we have any to repent of, and say our pray- 
ers; then we can he down and sleep in peace until the 
morning, arise with gratitude to God, commence the labors 
of another day, and strive to live the whole day to God and 
nobody else. 8 124 

We Must Learn to Support Ourselves—I am under ob- 
ligation to take a course which will sustain life within my- 
self and others, on rational principles, without any special 
manifestation from God, 14.111. 

I have tried continually to get this people to puisue a 
course that will make them self-sustaining, taking care of 
their poor, the lame, the halt and the blind, lifting the igno- 
rant from where they have no opportunity of observing the 
ways of the world, and of understanding the common knowl- 
edge possessed among the children of men, bringing them 
together from the four quarters of the world, and making 



26 MSCOURhRS OI< KKIGJIAM \<>rN(i 

of them an intelligent, thrifty and self-sustaining people 
12;195. 

My warfare is, and has been for years, to get the people 
to understand that if they do not take care of themselves 
they will not be taken care of; that if we do not lay the 
foundation to feed and clothe and shelter ourselves we shall 
perish with hunger and with cold ; we might also suffer in 
the summer season from the direct rays of the sun upon 
our naked and unprotected bodies. 10:200. 

I see more and more that there are but very few men 
and women that are even capable of taking care of them- 
selves temporally. 4 314. 



CHAPTER II 
THE GODHEAD 

Our Father in Heaven — Let every person be the friend 
of God 4.372. 

Some believe or conceiye the idea that to know God 
would lessen him in our estimation ; but I can say that for 
me to understand any principle or being, on earth or in 
heaven, it does not lessen its true value to me, but on the 
contrary, it increases it; and the more I can know of God, 
the dearer and more precious he is to me, and the more 
exalted are my feelings towards him. 13 :57. 

There is a Power that has organized all things from the 
crude matter that floats in the immensity of space. . He 
has given form, motion and life to this material world; has 
made the great and small lights that bespangle the firma- 
ment above; has allotted to them their times and their sea- 
sons, and has marked out their spheres. He has caused the 
air and the waters to teem with life, and covered the hills 
and plains with creeping things, ,and has made man to be 
a ruler over his creations. All these wonders are the 
works of the Almighty Ruler of the universe, in whom we 
believe ,and whom we worship. 11:120. 

All the creations are his work, and they are for his 
glory and for the benefit of the children of men; and all 
things are put .into the possession of man for his comfort, 
improvement and consolation, and for his health, wealth, 
beauty and excellency. 13:151. 

He is a God of system, order, law, , science, and art; a 
God of knowledge and of power. 13 :309. 

He is the Father, God, Savior, Maker, Preserver, and 



28 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

Redeemer of man. He holds in his hands the issue of all 
things and will judge every man according to his works. 
3 259-260. 

God is the source, the fountain of ail intelligence, no 
matter who possesses it, whether man upon the earth, the 
spirits in the spirit-world, the angels that dwell in the eter- 
nities of the Gods, or the most inferior intelligence among 
the devils in hell. All have derived what intelligence, light, 
power, and existence they have from God — from the same 
source from which we have received ours. 8 205. 

Every good and perfect .gift cometh from God. Every 
discovery in science and art, that is really true and useful 
to mankind has been given by direct revelation from God, 
though but ( few acknowledge it. It has been given with 
a view to prepare the way for the ultimate triumph of truth, 
and the redemption of the earth from the power of sin and 
Satan We should take advantage of all these great dis- 
coveries, the accumulated wisdom of ages, and give to our 
children the benefit of every branch of useful knowledge, to 
prepare them to step forward and; efficiently do their part 
in the great work. 9 :369. 

He is our Heavenly Father; he is also our God, and 
the Maker and upholder of all things in heaven and on 
earth. He sends forth his counsels and extends his provi- 
dences to all living He is the Supreme Controller of the 
universe At his rebuke the sea is dried up, and the rivers 
become a wilderness. He measures the waters in the hollow 
of his hand, and meteth out heaven with a span, and com- 
prehendeth the dust of the earth in a measure, and weigheth 
the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance; the na- 
tions to him are as a drop in a bucket, and he taketh up the 
isles as a very little thing; the hairs of our heads are mini- 



THE GODHEAD 29 

bered by him, and not a sparrow falleth to the ground with- 
out our Father ; and he knoweth every thought and mtent 
of the hearts of all living, for he is everywhere present by 
the power of his Spirit— his minister, the Holy Ghost He 
is the Father of all, is above all, through all, and in you all , 
he knoweth all things pertaining to this earth, and he 
knows all things pertaining to millions of earths like this 
11:41. 

Whether they make good or bad use of it, all power is 
ordained of God and is in his hand, He sets up a king- 
dom here, and pulls Sown another there at his pleasure 
He breaks the nations like a potter's vessel; he forms a 
nucleus, and around it builds up a kingdom or nation, per- 
mitting the people to act upon their own agency, that they 
may do Tight, or corrupt themselves, as did the Children 
of Israel , and after they have become ripe for destruction 
they will be scattered to the four winds. If the people of 
God m ancient days had continued holy they would have 
continued in power and authority to this day 7 :148 

If there is anything that is great and good and wise 
among men, it cometh from God. If there are men who 
possess great ability as statesmen, or as philosophers, or 
who possess remarkable scientific knowledge and skill, the 
credit thereof belongs to God, for he dispenses it to his 
children whether they believe m him or not, or whether 
they sin against him or not, it makes no difference, but all 
will have to account to him for the way and manner m 
which they have used the talents committed unto them 
If we believe the plain, broad statements of the Bible, we 
must believe that Jesus Christ is the light that hghteth 
every man that cometh into the world; none are exempt 
11-123 



30 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

The fulness of the heavens and the earth is the Lord's- - 
the gold and the silver, the wheat, the fine flour, and the 
cattle upon a thousand hills; and when we fully undei- 
stand his works, we shall know that he is in all the eaith 
and fulfils his will among the children of men, exalting and 
debasing them according to his pleasure, for the systems, 
creeds, thrones, and kingdoms of the woild are all undoi 
his control 1 49. 

We believe that God is round about all things, abo\e all 
things, in all things, and through all things To tell about 
empty space is to tell of a space wheie God is not, and 
where the wicked might safely hide from his presence 
There is not such a thing as empty space 1 '276 

He is compassionate to all the works of his hands, the 
plan of his redemption, and salvation, and mercy ^ 
stretched out over all , and his plans are to gather up, and 
bring -together, and save all the inhabitants of the earth, 
with the exception of those whp^ have received the Holy 
Ghost, and sinned against it. With this exception, all the 
world besides shall 'be saved. 3.92. 

When the Loid fights the battles of the Saints, he doe^ 
it so effectually that nobody gets nervous but the enemy. 
8:325. 

No person deceives the Lord. 16:163 

It is written that God knows all things and has all 
powei He has the rule and command of this earth, and 
is the Father of all the human beings that have lived, do 
live and will live upon it. If any of his children become 
heirs to all things, they in their turn can say, by-and-by, 
that they know all things, and they will be called Supreme, 
Almighty, King of kings, Lord of lords All this and more 
that cannot enter into our hearts to conceive is promised to 



THE GODHEAD 31 

the faithful, and are but so many stages in that ceaseless 
piogression of eternal lives. This will not detract anything 
from the glory and might of our Heavenly Father For he 
will still remain our Father, and we shall still be subject 
to him, and as we progress in glory and power, the more 
it enhances the glory and power of our Heavenly Father 
This principle holds good in either state, whether mortal 
or immortal 10 5 

All that the Lord requires of us is a perfect submission 
in our hearts to his will. 18 .238 

The Lord gives us little by little and is ever willing to 
give us more and more, even the fulness, when our hearts 
are prepared to receive all the truths of heaven This is 
what the Lord desires, what he would delight in doing, for 
his children 18.217. 

Our Father in heaven wishes us to preserve that which 
he gives to us 9' 169 

He presides over the worlds on worlds that illuminate 
this little planet, and millions on millions of worlds that we 
cannot see; and yet he looks upon the minutest object of 
his creations, not one of these creatures escapes his notice, 
and there is not one til them but his wisdom and power 
has produced 1 39. 

I believe in a God who has power to exalt and glorify 
all who believe in him, and are faithful in serving him to 
the end of their lives, for this make them Gods, even the 
sons of God, and in this sense also there are Gods many, 
but to us there is but one God, and one Lord Jesus Christ- 
one Savior who came in the meridian of time to redeem the 
earth and the children of men from the original sm that was 
committed by our first parents, and bring to pass the resto- 
ration of all things through his death and suffering, open 



32 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

wide to all believers the gates of life and salvation and 
exaltation to the presence of the Father and the Son to 
dwell with them for evermore. 11 '122. 

As I said once to my biethren in the School of the 
Prophets, I have not asked you, I daie not ask you to fulfil 
almost the first requnoment of the Kingdom of Heaven, 
almost the simplest principle, and one of the first things 
that should be observed I have not asked the people to 
perform this great labor, I will say it is a gieat labor, and 
if I were to refer it to you, you would say the same. You 
may ask what it is? It is to love the Lord thy God with all 
thy heart, with all thy mind and with all thy strength, and 
thy neighbor as thyself. Now, is this not almost one of 
the fiist requirements that God has made of his people? 
And I have not yet required it of the people. Love the 
Lord thy God with all thy heart, and then speak evil of thy 
neighbor ? No' No 1 Love the Loid thy God with all thy 
heart, and speak that which is not true? No, oh, no ! Love 
the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and take that which is 
not thy own ? No, no, no! Love the Lord thy God with 
all thy heart, and seek after the riches of the world and for- 
sake your religion * No 1 Love the Lord thy God with 
all thy heart and take his name in vain, curse and swear ? 
No, never ! If the love of God was really in the hearts of all 
who call themselves Latter-day Saints, there would be no 
more swearing, no more lying, no more deceiving, no more 
speaking evil of one another, no more running after the un- 
godly nor dealing with the enemies of Zion, no more run- 
ning after the gold mines; nothing would be sought after, 
only to build up the Kingdom of God. This we have not 
yet asked. But we do ask some things. Let us forsake 
those sins that are so grievous, and let us try to do right 
before the Heavens and with each other. 12:229. 



THE GODHEAD 33 

He has not committed the keys of the results of the acts 
of the nations of the earth to any man on the earth, but 
that power he retains to himself. 8:31. 

What is commonly termed idolatry has arisen from a 
few sincere men, full of faith and having a little knowledge, 
urging upon a backsliding people to preserve some cus- 
toms — to cling to some fashions or figures, to put them in 
mind of that God with whom their fathers were acquainted, 
without designing or wishing the people to worship an idol 
—to worship stocks, stones, beasts, and birds Idols have 
been introduced, which are now worshiped, and have been 
for centuries and thousands of years ; but they were not in- 
troduced at once They were introduced to preserve among 
the people the idea of the true God. 6 194 

We are nothing, only what the Lord makes us 5 343 

Cease bringing the names of God the Father and his Son 
Jesus Christ into disrespect and learn to reverence those 
names. 7:147. 

The Lord operates upon the principles of continuing to 
organize, of adding to, gathering up, bringing forth, in- 
creasing and spreading abroad, while the opposite power 
does not. It shows the nature of his opposition to that 
peculiar trait of Christianity, based upon the principles of 
eternal duration, increase, power, glory, and exaltation; 
and points out the difference between the two adverse 
powers. 1:117. 

Unless God blesses our exertions we shall have nothing 
It is the Lord that gives the increase. 3 .331 

The God that I serve is progressing eternally, and so 
are his children : they will increase to all eternity, if they 
are faithful. 11:286 

It is written, "Prove all things, hold fast that which is 



34 DISCOURSES OF BRIG1IAM YOUNG 

good " Refuse evil, choose good, hate iniquity, love tiuth 
All this out fathers have done befoie us, I do not particu- 
larly mean Father Adam, or his Father, I do not particulaily 
mean Abraham, or Moses, the Prophets, or Apostles, but 1 
mean our fathers who have been exalted for millions of 
)tars previous to Adam's time They have all passed 
through the same 01 dealt we aie now passing thiough, and 
have seal died all things, e\en to the depths of hell 9 243. 

The great auhitect, managei and superintendent, con- 
troller and dictator who guides this work is out of sight to 
our natural eyes lie lives on another world; he is in an- 
other state of existence, he has passed the oideals we aie 
now passing thiough, he has received an experience, has 
suffered and enjoyed, and knows all that we know regaul- 
mg the toils, sufferings, life and death of this mortality, foi 
he has passed through the whole of it, and has lcceivcd Ins 
crown and exaltation and holds the keys and the power of 
this Kingdom, he sways his sceptei, and does his will among 
the childien of men, among Saints and among sinners, and 
brings forth results to suit his puipose among kingdoms 
and nations and empires, that all may redound to his glory 
and to the perfection of his work. 11:249, 

How many Gods there are, I do not know. But there 
never was a time when there were not Gods and woilds, 
and when men were not passing through the same ordeals 
that we are now passing thiough. That course has been 
from all eternity, and it is and will be to all eternity. You 
cannot comprehend this but when you can, it will be to you 
a matter of great consolation 7 333 

Wherever the human family dwell upon the face of the 
eaith, whether they are savage or civilized, there is a desire 
implanted withm them to worship a great Supreme Ruler, 



THE GODHEAD 35 

and not knowing him they suppose that through offering 
worship and sacrifice to their idols they can conciliate his 
anger which they think they see manifested m the thunder, 
in the lightning, in the storm, in the floods, in the reverses 
of war, in the hand of death, etc., etc. ; thus they try to woo 
his protection and his blessing for victory over their en- 
emies, and at the termination of this life for a place in the 
heaven their imaginations have created, or tradition has 
handed down to them I have much chanty for this portion 
of the human family called heathens or idolators ; they have 
made images to represent to their eyes a power which they 
cannot see, and desire to worship a Supreme Being through 
the figure which they have made. 11 '120 

We believe in one God, one Mediator and one Holy 
Ghost We cannot believe for a moment that God is desti- 
tute of body, paits, passions, or attributes Attributes can 
be made manifest only through an organized personage All 
attributes are couched in and are the results of organized 
existence 10 192 

The Lord is perfectly independent. He has received his 
glory, he reigns supreme and omnipotent. He is not de- 
pendent upon you and me If every one of us should apos- 
tatize and go down to hell, it would neither add to nor di- 
minish from his glory He would mourn at our folly in 
turning away from the holy commandments and suffering 
the wrath of the Almighty to come upon us, the heavens 
would weep over us, but still the Lord has his glory, and 
you and I are not laboring for his benefit. For whose 
benefit are we laboring? For our own All my preaching, 
laboring and toils in this Kingdom have been for myself, 
to get into the Celestial Kingdom of God I have been labor- 
ing for that and nothing else, 13:315, 



36 DISCOURSES Ob BRIGHAM YOUNG 

Read the history of any kingdom or nation, and tiace 
through all the channels from the history of nations and 
kingdoms to that of families and individuals who have not 
known God nor observed his commandments, and you will 
find that sorrow and disappointment have been intimately 
mingled in all the gaiety, luxuries, and pretended enjoy- 
ments of their mortal lives They have found a bitter sting 
in their happiest moments and a deadly poison in their cups 
6 39. 

There is no influence, truth, or nghteousness in the 
world, only what flows from God our Father in the heavens 
5*78 

Personality and Fatherhood of God — Some would have 
us believe that God is picsent everywhere. It is not so. He 
i«5 no more everywhere piesent in person than the Father 
and Son are one in peison. 6*345 

God is considered to be everywhere present at the same 
moment , and the Psalmist says, "Whither shall I flee from 
thy presence ? " Pie is piesent with all his creations through 
his influence, through his government, spiut and power, 
but he himself is a personage of tabernacle, and we are made 
after his likeness 10*319. 

Our God and Father m Heaven, is a being of tabernacle, 
or, in other words, he has a body, with parts the same as 
you and I have, and is capable of showing forth his works 
to organized beings, as, for instance, in the world in which 
we live, it is the result of the knowledge and infinite wis- 
dom that dwell in his organized body. His Son Jesus 
Christ has become a personage of tabernacle, and has a 
body like his Father. The Holy Ghost is the Spirit of the 
Lord, and issues "forth from himself, and may properly be 
called God's ministe* to execute his will in, immensity; 



THE GODHEAD Z7 

being called to govern by his influence and power; but 
he is notj L _person__of JJfishjagjye^re, janil as.our Father m 
Heaven .and Jesus Christ are^ 1*50>^«70 \*A tf 

The Kingdom of God on earth is a living, moving, effec- 
tive institution, and is governed, controlled, dictated and 
led by the invisible God whom we serve who is an exalted, 
living being, possessing body, parts and passions, who lis- 
tens to the prayers of his Saints, is a reasonable, merciful 
and intelligent being, who is filled with knowledge and wis- 
dom, who is full of light and glory, and the foundations of 
whose throne are laid in eternal truth; whose personal form 
is perfect in proportion and beauty He loves the good, and 
is angry with the wicked every day as it is written in the 
Scriptures. He hates the evil that is done by evil doers, and 
is merciful to the repenting sinner. He is beloved by all 
who know him for the attributes he possesses in and of him- 
self, in common with all glorified beings who now dwell 
with him, and who will yet be glorified and crowned with 
crowns of glory, immortality and eternal lives. 11 251 

It must be that God knows something about tempoial 
things, and has had a body and been on an earth. Were it 
not so, he would not know how to judge men righteously, 
according to the temptations and sin they have had to con- 
tend with, 4:271. 

Our Father in Heaven begat all the spirits that ever 
were, or ever will be, upon this earth ; and they were born 
spirits in the eternal world Then the Lord by his power 
and wisdom organized the mortal tabernacle of man. We 
were made first spiritual, and afterwards temporal 1 .50 

He is our Father; he is our God, the ,Father of our 
spirits, he is the framer of our bodies, and set the machine 
in successful operation to bring forth these tabernacles that 



3K DISCOURSES OF URIC I [ \M YOUNl» 

I now look upon m this building, and all that evci did 01 
ever will live on the face of the whole earth 13 *250 

The Apostles and Prophets, when speaking of our lela- 
tionship to God, say that we are flesh of his flesh and bone 
of his bone, God is our Father, and Jesus Christ is our 
Elder Biothei, and both aie our everlasting friends 6 332 

The kingdoms he possesses and rules ovei aie hi* own 
progeny. Eveiy man who is faithful and gets a salvation 
and glory, and becomes a King of kings and Lord of lotds, 
or a Fathei of fatheis, it will be by the increase of his own 
progeny. Our Fathei and God uilcs over his own chil- 
dren Whercvei there is a God in all the eternities possess- 
ing a kingdom and gloiy and powei it is by means of hi^ 
own progeny. 1 1 262. 

Many have tncd to penetiate to the Fust Cause of all 
things; but it would be as easy for an ant to number the 
grains of sand on the earth It is not for man, with his 
limited intelligence, to grasp eternity in his comprehension 
There is an eternity of life, from which we were composed 
by the wisdom and skill of Supenoi Beings Tt would be 
as easy for a gnat to trace the history of man back to his 
origin as for man to fathom the First Cause of all things, 
lift the veil of eternity, and reveal the mystcnes that have 
been sought after by philosophers fiom the beginning What 
then, should be the calling and duty of the children of men? 
Instead of inquning after the origin of Gods— instead of 
trying to explore the depths of eternities that have been, 
that are, and that will be, instead of endeavonug to discover 
the boundaries of boundless space, let them seek to know 
the object of their present existence, and how to apply, in 
the most profitable manner for their mutual good and sal- 
vation, the intelligence they possess Let them seek to 



THE GODHEAD 39 

know and thoroughly understand things within their reach, 
and to make themselves well acquainted with the object of 
their being here, by diligently seeking unto a super-power 
for information and by the careful study of the best books. 
7.284-5. 

God has given this great variety of intelligence. He 
has also given this great variety of forms — that eternal 
variety which we see upon this earth, not only among hu- 
man beings, but in every class of all the creations of God ; 
and they are all designed to be preserved to all eternity 
None of them were made to be destroyed, except those that 
do not abide the law given them.- 8:8 

I now see before me beings who are in the i*nage of 
those heavenly personages who are enthroned m glory and 
crowned with eternal lives in the very image of those beings 
who organized the earth and its fulness, and who constitute 
the Godhead. 9:246. 

The Son of God—Our faith is concentrated in the Son 
of God, and through him in the Father ; and the Holy Ghost 
is their minister to bring truths to our remembrance, to re- 
veal new truths to us, and teach, guide, and direct the 
course of every mind, until we become perfected and pre- 
pared to go home, where we can see and converse with our 
Father in Heaven. 6:98. 

The Latter-day Saints believe in Jesus Christ, the only 
begotten Son of the Father, who came in the meridian of 
time, performed his work, suffered the penalty and paid the 
debt of man's original sin by offering up himself, was res- 
urrected from the dead, and ascended to his Father; and 
as Jesus descended below all things, so he will ascend 
above all things We believe that Jesus Christ will come 
again, as it is written of him "And while they looked 



40 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold two men 
stood by them in white apparel; which also said, Ye men of 
Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same 
Jesus which is taken from you into heaven, shall so come 
in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." 11 :123. 

Jesus is our captain and leader; Jesus, the Savior of the 
world— the Christ that we believe in. 14:118. 

I testify that Jesus is the Christ, the Savior and Re- 
deemer of the world , I have obeyed his sayings, and real- 
ized his promise, and the knowledge I have of him, the wis- 
dom of this world cannot give, neither can it take away 
18:233. 

My faith is placed upon the Lord Jesus Christ, and my 
knowledge I have received from him. 3 :155. 

Our Lord Jesus Christ — the Savior, who has redeemed 
the world and all things pertaining to it, is the Only Be- 
gotten of the Father pertaining to the flesh. He is our 
Elder Brother, and the Heir of the family, and as such we 
worship him. He has tasted death for every man, and has 
paid the debt contracted by our first parents. 12:6°), 

None of them have power to produce themselves Jesus 
Christ is the Heir of this vast family. He said that he had 
power to lay down his life and take it up again; but fye 
had no more power to produce his life, in the beginning of 
his existence, than we have. Every human being is en- 
dowed, more or less, with eternal intelligence, with the germ 
of life everlasting, of glory immortal. 8:153. 

He did nothing of himself Me wrought miracles and 
performed a good work on the earth ; but of himself he did 
nothing. He said, "As I have seen my Father do, so do I." 
"I came not to do my will, but the will of him that sent 
me." We must come to the conclusion that the Son of 



THE GODHEAD 41 

God did not suggest, dictate, act, or produce any manifesta- 
tion of his power, of his glory, or of his errand upon the 
earth, only as it came from the mind and will of his Father 
6.96. 

The Lord has revealed to us a plan by which we may be 
saved both here and hereafter. God has done everything 
we could ask, and more than we could ask. The errand of 
Jesus to earth was to bring his brethren and sisters back 
into the presence of the Father, he has done his part of 
the work, and it remains for us to do ours There is not 
one thing that the Lord could do for the salvation of the 
human family that he has neglected to do ; and it remains 
for the children of men to receive the truth or reject it; all 
that can be accomplished for their salvation, independent 
of them, has been accomplished m and by the Savior. It 
has been justly remarked this afternoon that "J esu s paid 
the debt ; he atoned for the original sin ; he came and suf- 
fered and died on the cross " He is now King of kings and 
Lords of lords, and the time will come when every knee will 
bow and every tongue confess, to the glory of God the 
Father, that Jesus is the Christ That very character that 
was looked upon, not as the Savior, but as an outcast, who 
was crucified between two thieves and treated with scorn 
and derision, will be greeted by all men as the only Being 
through whom they can obtain salvation. 13 '59. 

Jesus was appointed, from the beginning, to die for our 
redemption, and he suffered an excruciating death on the 
cross. 8:115. 

He has died to redeem it, and he is the lawful heir per- 
taining to this earth Jesus will continue to reign with 
his Father, and is dictated by his Father in all his acts and 
ruling and governing m the building up and overthrow of 



42 DISCOURSES OF BRIG HAM YOUNG 

nations, to make the wrath of man praise him, until he 
brings all into subjection to his will and government And 
when he has subdued all his enemies, destroyed death and 
him that hath the power of death, and perfected his woik, 
he will dehvei up the kingdom spotless to his Father. 7 144 

The character we have been healing of is our Savior and 
Redeemer, the Savior of the whole world of mankind, and 
of all creatuies pertaining to the eaith, and the earth itself, 
for all will be redeemed by the blood of the Son of God. 
14:130. 

The moment the atonement of the Savior is done away, 
that moment, at one sweep, the hopes of salvation enter- 
tained by the Christian world are destioyed, the founda- 
tion of their faith is taken away, and thcie is nothing left 
for them to stand upon When it is gone all the revelations 
God ever gave to the Jewish nation, to the Gentiles, and to 
us are rendered valueless, and all hope is taken from us 
at one sweep 14-41. 

The knowledge of the character of the Only Begotten 
of the Father comes to us through the testimony, not of dis- 
interested witnesses, but of his friends, those who were 
most especially and deeply interested for their own welfare, 
and the welfare of their brethien We have no testimony 
concerning the Savior's charactei and woiks, only from 
those who were thus interested in his welfare and success, 
and in the building up of his kingdom. It has been often 
said, if a disinterested witness would testify that Joseph 
Smith is a prophet of God, many might believe his testi- 
mony; but no person could be believed, by any intelligent 
person, who would testify to a matter of such importance, 
and who would still view it as a thing in which he had no 
interest. But they who are interested, who know the 



THE GODHEAD 43 

worth of that man and understand the spirit and the power 
of his mission, and the character of the Being that sent and 
ordained him, are the proper persons to testify of the truth 
of his mission, and they are the most interested of any 
living upon the earth. So it was with those who bore wit- 
ness of the Savior, and of his mission on the earth 11 41 

The Latter-day Saints and every other person who is 
entitled to salvation, and all except those who have sjnjied 
agamst jhe Holy Ghost , may know that Jesus is the Christ 
in the same way that Peter knew it Miracles do not give 
this knowledge to mankind, though they may serve as col- 
lateral evidence to strengthen the believer The miracles 
of Jesus were known to the Jews, yet they suffered him to 
be put to death as a deceiver of mankind and one possessed 
of a devil 10 193. 

Who are the Saints ? All those who believe in Jesus 
Christ and keep his commandments And who may be 
Saints ? All the inhabitants of the earth, for Jesus said, 
''Come unto me, all ye ends of the earth, and be ye saved " 
10-305. 

All the Lord has called us to do is to renovate our own 
hearts, then our families, extending the principle to neighr 
boihoods, to the earth we occupy, and so continue until 
we drive the power of Satan from the earth and Satan to 
his own place That is the work Jesus is engaged in, and 
we will be co-workers with him 10-173 

"I and my Father are one," says Jesus; what, one body? 
No, it never entered the Savior's mind that such a render- 
ing of this saying would ever enter into the minds of per- 
sons holding the least claim to good sense They are no 
more one person than I and one of my sons are one person 
If my son receives my teaching, will walk in the path I 



44 discourses or brigham young 

mark out for him to walk in, if his faith is the same as mine, 
his purpose is the same, and he does the woik of his father 
as Jesus did the work of his Father, then is my son one with 
me in the scriptural sense 10 192. 

Inasmuch as the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost aie one, 
the desire of the Savior, as manifested in his sayings and 
teachings, is, that his people should also be one, even as he 
and his Father aie one 6 97 

All the works of mankind amount to but little, unless 
they are performed in the name of the Lord and under the 
direction of his Spirit Let every man seek to learn the 
things of God by the revelations of Jesus Christ to himself 
10 1. 

Jesus undertook to establish the Kingdom of God upon 
the eaith He introduced the laws and oidmances of the 
Kingdom 15-125 

Jesus Christ will draw all men unto him, except those 
who contend against the power of God and against his 
Kingdom until they have sealed their own damnation. 
11-238. 

Jesus fulfilled the obligations he had entered into as the 
heir of all things pertaining to this earth. 8:115. 

We, the Latter-day Saints, ceitainly believe that Chtist 
will accomplish all that he undertook to do, but he never 
yet said he would save a sinner in his sins, but that he 
would save him from his sins He has instituted laws and 
ordinances whereby this can be effected. The "Mormon" 
Elder says that he will save all who come to him, all who 
hearken to his word and keep his commandments, and Jesus 
has said, "If ye love me, keep my commandments." The 
"Mormon" says, "I love Jesus, and in proof of it I keep 
his commandments." 13:237 



THE GODHEAD 45 

Jesus will redeem the last and least of the sons of Adam, 
except the sons of perdition, who will be held in reserve 
for another time. They will become angels of the Devil 
8:154. 

Christ will not cease his labors pertaining to this earth 
until it is redeemed and sanctified, ready to be presented 
spotless to the Father. 10:18 

We believe that Jesus Christ will descend from heaven 
to earth again even as he ascended into heaven. "Behold, 
he cometh with clouds, and every eye shall see him, and 
they also which pierced him • and all kindreds of the earth 
shall wail because of him." He will come to receive his 
own, and rule and reign king of nations as he does king 
of Saints , "For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies 
under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is 
death." He will banish sin from the earth and its dreadful 
consequences, tears shall be wiped from every eye and there 
shall be nothing to hurt or destroy in all God's holy 
mountain 11 123. 

The Savior has not finished his work, and cannot receive 
the fulness of his glory until the influence and power of the 
wicked are overcome and -brought into subjection When 
the wicked inhabitants of the earth, the beasts of the field, 
fowls of the air, fish of the sea, all mineral substances, and 
all else pertaining to this earth, are overcome, then he will 
take the kingdom, present it to the Father, and say, "Here 
is the work you gave me to do — you made the appointment 
— I have wrought faithfully, and here are my brethren and 
sisters who have wrought with me We have wrought faith- 
fully together, we have overcome the flesh, hell and the 
Devil. I have overcome, they have followed in my foot- 
steps, and here are all thou hast given me ; I have lost none, 
except the sons of perdition." 8 :118. 



46 DISCOURSES OF BRIGIIAM YOUNG 

When he again visits this eailh, he will come to thor- 
oughly purge his kingdom from wickedness, and, as luler 
of the nations, to dictate and administei to them as the heii 
to the kingdom; and the Gentiles will be as much mistaken 
m regaid to his second advent as the Jews weie in relation 
to the first 8 115. 

Take a pride in acknowledging the Savior. Tiam and 
educate yourselves until you will take a pride in acknowl- 
edging God, the Authoi of all. Take a pride in the icligion 
that makes you pure and holy, and that pioduces in the 
heart of every individual who cmbiaces it a feeling to be 
tiuthful m every woid he speaks, to be honest in every act 
he peifoims, in all his dealings with his neighbors. Take 
a pride in this and fear not the wicked 12 -326 

The Latter-day Saints believe in the Gospel of the Son 
of God, simply because it is tiue They believe in baptism 
for the remission of sins, personal and by proxy; they be- 
lieve that Jesus is the Savioi of the world, they believe that 
all who attain to any glory whatever, in any kingdom, will 
do so because Jesus has purchased it by his atonement. 
13 323 

The Holy Ghost— The Holy Ghost, we believe, is one of 
the characters that form the Trinity, or the Godhead. Not 
one person in three, nor three persons in one; but the 
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are one in essence, as the 
hearts of thiee men who are united in all things He is one 
of the three characters we believe in, whose office it is to 
administer to those of the human family who love the truth 
I have stated that they are one, as the hearts of three men 
might be one. Lest you should mistake me, I will say that 
I do not wish you to understand that the Holy Ghost is a 
personage having a tabernacle, like the Father and the Son ; 



THE GODHEAD 47 

but he is God's messenger that diffuses his influence through 
all the works of the Almighty. 6:95. 

Not a desire, act, wish, or thought does the Holy Ghost 
indulge in contrary to that which is dictated by the Father 
6.95. 

Now ask yourselves whether you believe that the Holy 
Ghost ever commenced to produce a work or an effect be- 
fore it was m the heart and mind of that Being we call oui 
Heavenly Father. Do you think that the Holy Ghost ever 
thought of dictating that Being we call our God ? This 
whole people have learned enough upon this subject to 
answer at once, that we do not believe that the Holy Ghost 
ever dictated, suggested, moved, or pretended to offer a 
plan, except that which the Eternal Father dictated 6 95 

Though a man should say but a few words, and his sen- 
tences and words be ever so ungrammatical, if he speaks 
by the power of the Holy Ghost, he will do good. 8 120. 

I have proven to my satisfaction, according to the best 
knowledge I can gather, that man can be deceived by the 
sight of the natural eye, he can be deceived by the hearing 
of the ear, and by the touch of the hand; that he can be 
deceived in all of what is called the natural senses. But 
there is one thing in which he cannot be deceived. What 
is that? It is the operations of the Holy Ghost, the Spirit 
and power of God upon the creature. It teaches him of 
heavenly things , it directs him in the way of life ; it affords 
him the key by which he can test the devices of man, and 
which recommends the things of God. Not only the Saints 
who are present, and who gathered to Zion, but those of 
every nation, continent, or island who live the religion 
taught by our Savior and his Apostles, and also by Joseph 
Smith; they also bear the same testimony, their eyes have 



48 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

been quickened by the Spirit of God, and they see alike, 
their heaits have been quickened, and they feel and under- 
stand alike, and there are no disputations among them with 
regard to the doctrines of the Savior 18 -230 

Again it is asked. — "Is the Holy Ghost given m this age 
of the wot Id?" Yes, but they could not send men to Joppa 
for Peter, for behold there was no Peter, or men possess- 
ing the holy Priesthood, to send for, neither has there been 
since the church lost the holy Priesthood, until it was 
restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith Cornelius did 
not belong' to the House of Israel, yet he received the Holy 
Ghost. Continue this history, and what docs it give to us? 
It gives to us the key of knowledge with regard to receiving 
the Holy Ghost through the ordinances of the Gospel, that 
it is free to all, Jew and Gentile, as Peter exclaimed when 
Cornelius had related to him how he was nistiuctcd to 
send men to Joppa • "Of a truth I perceive that God is no 
respecter of persons, but in every nation, he that feareth 
him and woiketh righteousness, is accepted of him." 10:322. 

Without the power of the Holy Ghost a person is liable 
to go to the right or the left from the straight path of duty ; 
they are liable to do things they are sorry for; they are 
liable to make mistakes ; and when they try to do their best, 
behold they do that which they dislike. 10:289. 

I want to see men and women breathe the Holy Ghost in 
every breath of 'their lives, living constantly in the light of 
God's countenance. 9:288-289. 



CHAPTER III 

THE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN 
GOD AND MAN 

The Spirit of God— God is here : his influence fills im- 
mensity. He has his messengers throughout all the works 
of his hands. He watches every one of his creatures ; their 
acts, their affections, and thoughts are all known to him; 
for his intelligence and power fill immensity. Not that his 
person does, but his Spirit does; and he is here teaching, 
guiding and directing the nations of the earth. 7:159. 

The Spirit of the Lord enlightens every man that comes 
into the world. There is no one that lives upon the earth 
but what is, more or less, enlightened by the Spirit of the 
Lord Jesus It is said of him, that he is the light of the 
world. He lighteth every ^man that comes into the world 
and every person, at times, has the light of the spirit of 
truth upon him. 14:201. 

I do not believe for one moment that there has been a 
man or woman upon the face of the earth, from the days 
of Adam to this day, who has not been enlightened, in- 
structed, and taught by the revelations of Jesus Christ. 
"What! the ignorant heathen?" Yes, every human being 
who has possessed a sane mind. I am far from believing 
that the children of men have been deprived of the privilege 
of receiving the Spirit of the Lord to teach them right from 
wrong. No matter what the traditions of their fathers were; 
those who were honest before the Lord, and acted up- 
rightly, according to the best knowledge they had, will 
have an opportunity to go into the Kingdom of God. I be- 
live this privilege belonged to the sons and daughters of 



50 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

Adam, and descended from him, and his children who were 
contemporaiy with him, throughout all geneiations 2 139. 

All who would understand the things of God must un- 
derstand them by the Spirit of God. 8 115. 

I will, m the commencement of my remarks, take up a 
subject upon which much has been said in the pulpit and 
in the chimney corner. It is regarding the Spmt of the 
Lord manifesting his will to his childien. There is no 
doubt, if a person lives according to the revelations given 
to God's people, he may have the Spirit of the Lord to sig- 
nify to him his will, and to guide and to direct him in the 
discharge of his duties, in his temporal as well as his spirit- 
ual exercises. I am satisfied, however, that in this lespect, 
we live far beneath our privileges. If this is true, it is nec- 
essary that we become more fervent in the service of God— 
in living our religion— and more truthful and honest with 
one another, that we be not slack in the perfoimance of any 
duty, but labor with a right good will for God and truth 
If this people, called .Latter-day Saints, live beneath their 
privileges in the holy Gospel of the Son of God, are they 
justified in every respect before him? They are not. If 
we do not live in the lively exercise of faith in the Lord 
Jesus, possessing his Spirit always, how can we know when 
he speaks to us through his servants whom he has placed 
to lead us? 12-104 

The light of the Spirit upon the hearts and understand- 
ings of some Latter-day Saints, is like the peeping of the 
stars through the broken shingles of the roof over our 
heads, when we are watching through the silent watches 
of the night and behold the glimmer of a twinkling star. 
15:3. 

No man can gain influence in this Kingdom, and mam- 



COMMUNICATION BETWEEN GOD AND MAN 51 

tain himself in it, or magnify his calling, without the power 
of God being with him Persons must so live that they 
can enjoy the light of the Holy Spirit, or they will have 
no confidence in themselves, in their religion, or m their 
God, and will sooner or later turn from the faith 8 65. 

You need the Spirit of the Almighty to look through 
a man and discern what is m his heart, while his face smiles 
upon you and his words flow as smoothly as oil 3 225. 

Thrust a man into prison and bind him with chains, and 
then let him be filled with the comfort and with the glory of 
eternity, and that prison is a palace to him Again, let a 
man be seated upon a throne with power and dominion in 
this world, lulmg his millions and millions and without 
that peace which flows from the Lord of Hosts— without 
that contentment and joy that comes from heaven, his pal- 
ace is a prison ; his life is a burden to him , he lives m fear, 
in dread, and m sorrow But when a person is filled with 
the peace and power of God, all is right with him. 5 .1-2, 

There are men of talent, of thought, of reflection, and 
knowledge m all cunning mechanism, they are expert m 
that, though they do not know from whence they receive 
their intelligence. The Spirit of the Lord has not yet en- 
tirely done striving with the people, offering them knowl- 
edge and intelligence; consequently, it reveals unto them, 
instructs them, teaches them, and guides them even in the 
way they like to travel Men know how to construct rail- 
roads and all manner of machinery, they understand cun- 
ning workmanship, etc, ; but that is all revealed to them by 
the Spirit of the Lord, though they know it not 5 -124 

I rejoice in the privilege of meeting with the Saints, in 
hearing them speak, and in enjoying the influence that is 
within and around them. That influence opens to my 



52 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

understanding the true position of those who are endeavor- 
ing to serve their God. I do not require to hear them speak 
to enable me to know their feelings. Is it not also your 
experience that, when you meet persons in the streets, in 
your houses, in your offices, or in your woikshops, more or 
less of an influence attends them which conveys more than 
words can ? By this the Father knows his childien, Jesus 
knows his brethren, and the angels aie acquainted with 
those who delight to associate with them and with those 
who hate them This knowledge is obtained through that 
invisible influence which attends intelligent beings, and 
betrays the atmospheie in which they delight to live. 8.57. 

Without the light of the Spirit of Christ, no person can 
truly enjoy life. 8.66 

Now, my friends, brethren and sisters, ladies and gentle- 
men, how do you know anything? Can you be deceived by 
the eye ? You can, you have proved this; you all know 
that there are men who can deceive the sight of the eye, 
no matter how closely you observe their movements. Can 
you be deceived in hearing ? Yes; you may hear sounds but 
not understand their import or whence they come. Can 
you be deceived by the touch of the finger ? You can The 
nervous system will not detect everything. What will? 
The revelations of the Lord Jesus Christ, the spirit of truth 
will detect everything, and enable all who possess it to 
understand truth from error, light from darkness, the things 
of God from the things not of God It is the only thing 
that will enable us to understand the Gospel of the Son of 
God, the will of God, and how we can be saved. Follow it, 
and it will lead to God, the Fountain of light, where the gate 
will be open, and the mind will be enlightened so that we 
shall see, know and understand things as they are. 13 :336 



COMMUNICATION BETWEEN GOD AND MAN 53 

There is not a man upon the earth who can magnify even 
an earthly office, without the power and wisdom of God to 
aid him. 10 42 

The eloquence of angels never can convince any person 
that God lives and makes truth the habitation of his throne, 
independent of that eloquence being clothed with the power 
of the Holy Ghost; in the absence of this, it would be a 
combination of useless sounds What is it that convinces 
man ? It is the influence of the Almighty, enlightening his 
mind, giving instruction to the understanding, when that 
which inhabits this body, that which came from the regions 
of Glory, is enlightened by the influence, power and Spirit 
of the Father of light, it swallows up the organization 
which pertains to this world. 1 .90. 

Those who love righteousness and possess the Spirit of 
God, those who delight to do good can remember good 
They can remember every good principle and every good 
act. 3-358 

What causes this people to do do they u^ s T t- is written, 
"But there is a spirit in man, and the inspiration of the 
Almighty giveth them understanding." It is a spirit that 
causes this people to do what they do — to leave their native 
countries, to leave their fathers and mothers, brethren and 
sisters, and take up their line of march and travel thousands 
of miles to this distant country; and then, when selected 
for missions, again to leave their fathers, mothers, and 
friends, and travel back to their native lands, or to some 
other place, wherever they are appointed to go. We can- 
not behold that spirit and influence with our natural eyes. 
The results alone are known. 8:174. 

You hearken to that still small voice that whispers eter- 
nal truth, that opens the visions of eternity to you that you 



54 DISCOURSES OF BRIG HAM YOUNG 

can discern, understand and follow, and the foul spirits that 
throng the air, and that fill our houses if we let them m, 
will not have power over you. 15 7 

Every individual that lives according to the Jaws that 
the Lord has given to his people, and has received the bless- 
ings that he has in store for the faithful, should be able to 
know the things of God from the things which are not of 
God, the light from the darkness, that which comes from 
heaven and that which comes from somewhere else This 
is the satisfaction and the consolation that the Latter-day 
Saints enjoy by living their religion ; this is the knowledge 
which every one who thus lives possesses. 16.163. 

Now, I ask the wise, where did you get your wisdom? 
Was it taught you? Yes, I say it was taught you By 
your professors in college 7 No, it was taught you by the 
influence of the spirit that is in man, and the inspiration of 
the Spirit of God giveth it understanding, and every crea- 
ture can thus add intelligence to intelligence 13-172 

Revelatior ^ T o person can leceive a knowledge of this 
work, except by the power of revelation 8.315. 

The spirit of revelation, even the spirit of eternal life, is 
within that person who lives so as to bear pioperly the 
yoke of Jesus The heavens are open to such persons, and 
they see and understand things that pertain to eternity, and 
also the things that pertain to this earth. 8 :206 

The spirit of revelation attends the Gospel, and without 
that spirit no man can understand it. 8*130' 

Many of the first revelations given to Joseph were of a 
temporal character, pertaining to a literal kingdom on the 
earth. And most of the revelations he received m the early 
part of his ministry pertained to what the few around him 
should do in this or in that case— when and how they should 



COMMUNICATION BETWEEN GOD AND MAN - 55 

perform their duties, at the same time calling upon them 
to preach the Gospel and diffuse the spirit and principles 
of the Kingdom of God, that their eyes might be open to 
see and gather the people together that they might begin 
and organize a literal, temporal organization on the earth 
6 171 

How can you know the Latter-day work to be true? 
You can know it only by the spirit of revelation direct from 
heaven. 

What proved this work true to you in England, Ire- 
land, Scotland, Germany, France, the United States, etc.? 
Was it not the spirit of revelation that rested upon you? 
Then why should you lose the spirit ? You should add to 
it day by day, you should add as the Lord' gives— a little 
here and a little there, and treasure up truth m your faith 
and understanding, until you become perfect before the 
Lord and are prepared to receive the further things of the 
Kingdom of God 7-159-160 

This principle we are in possession of, and it should be 
nourished and cherished by us, it is the principle of revela- 
tion, or, if you like the term better, of foreseeing There 
are those who possess fore-knowledge, who do not believe 
as we believe with regard 'to the establishment of the King- 
dom of God on the earth. Take the statesman, for instance ; 
he has a certain degree of knowledge with regard to the 
results of the measures which he may recommend, but does 
he know whence he derived that knowledge? No. He may 
say * "I foresee if we take this course we shall perpetuate 
our government and strengthen it, but if we take the oppo- 
site course we will destroy it " But can he tell whence he 
has received that wisdom and fore-knowledge? He cannot. 
Yet that is the condition of the statesmen m the nations of 



56 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

the earth If the philosopher can gaze into the immensity 
of space, and understand how to fashion and make glasses 
that will magnify a million times, that knowledge comes 
from the Fountain of knowledge. A man of the world may 
say: "I can foresee, I can understand, I can frame an en- 
gine, make a track, and run that engine upon it, bearing 
along a tram of loaded cars at the rate of forty, fifty, or 
sixty miles an hour." Another may say : "I can take the 
lightning, convey it on wires, and speak to foreign nations " 
But where do they get this wisdom? From the same source 
wheie you and I get our wisdom and our knowledge of God 
and godliness. 12 112-13. 

But we should all live so that the Spirit of revelation 
could dictate and write on the heart and tell us what we 
should do, instead of the traditions of our paients and teach- 
ers. But to do this we must become like little children; and 
Jesus says if we do not we cannot enter the kingdom of 
heaven. How simple it is 1 Live free from envy, malice, 
wrath, strife, bitter feelings, and evil speaking in our fam- 
ilies and about our neighbors and friends and all the inhab- 
itants of the earth, wherevei we meet them Live so that 
our consciences are free, clean and clear. 14 161. 

No man can know Jesus the Christ except it be revealed 
from heaven to him. 14 199. 

No earthly argument, no earthly reasoning can open the 
minds of intelligent beings and show them heavenly things ; 
that can only be done by the Spirit of revelation. 18*249. 

When the Spirit of revelation from God inspires a man, 
his mind is opened to behold the beauty, order, and glory 
of the creation of this earth and its inhabitants, the object 
of its creation, and the purpose of its Creator in peopling 
it with his children. He can then clearly understand that 



COMMUNICATION BETWEEN GOD AND MAN 57 

our existence here is for the sole purpose of exaltation and 
restoration to the presence of our Father and God, where 
we may progress endlessly in the power of godliness. After 
the mind has thus been illuminated, the ignorance and blind- 
ness of the great mass of mankind are more apparent. Yet 
there is no son or daughter of Adam and Eve who has not 
incorporated in his organization the priceless gem of end- 
less life, for the endless duration and endless lives which 
they are approaching. 9 256 

Without the revelations of God we know not who we 
are, whence we came, nor who formed the earth on which 
we live, move and have our being Did I bring the particles 
of matter together and form the earth ? No Did you, Mr. 
Philosopher? No? Did you Mr Infidel, or you Mr. Chris- 
tian, Pagan or Jew? No, not any of us. We know that 
we are here, but who brought us here, or how we came are 
questions the solution of which depends upon a power su- 
perior to ours The ideas of the inhabitants of the earth 
with regard to the destiny of the earth, are very crude and 
vague. But we must all acknowledge that some individual, 
being, power or influence superior to ourselves produced 
us and the earth and brought us forth and holds us m exist- 
ence, and causes the revolutions of the earth and of the 
planetary system. These are facts that neither we nor all 
niankmd can controvert , the whole Christian and even the 
heathen world will acknowledge all this ; but what do they 
know about it? Who understands the modus operandi by 
which all this was brought about and continued? Who is 
able to leap forth into the immensity of thought, space, con- 
templation and research, and search out the principles by 
which we are here and by which we are sustained? The 
strangest phenomenon to the inhabitants of the earth to- 



58 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

day is that God, the maker and preserver of the earth and 
all it contains, should speak from heaven to his creatures, 
the works of his hands heie What would there be strange 
in the mechanician, after constituting the most beautiful 
and ingenious piece of mechanism it is possible to conceive 
of, speaking to it and admiring the beauty, regularity and 
order of "its motions 7 Nothing whatever. Well, to me it 
is not at all strange that he who framed and fashioned this 
beautiful world and all the myriads and varieties of organ- 
izations it contains, should come and visit them; to me this 
is perfectly natuial, and when we remember and compare 
the belief of this people with that of the rest of the world 
we need not be suipnsed at being considered "a strange 
people" 13-234 

How do we know that prophets wrote the word of the 
Lord ? By revelation How do we know that Joseph Smith 
was called of God to establish his Kingdom upon the earth ? 
By revelation How do we know that the leaders of this 
people teach the truth? By revelation. How do we know 
the doctrine of baptism for the remission of sins to be true ? 
It is written in the Bible , but the Christian world deny it, 
because it is not manifested to them by the revelations of 
the Lord Jesus. 14 209 

Without revelation direct from heaven, it is impossible 
foi any person to understand fully the plan of salvation. 
We often hear it said that the living oracles must be m the 
Church, in order that the Kingdom of God may be estab- 
lished and prosper on the earth. I will give another ver- 
sion of this sentiment I say that the living oracles of God, 
or the Spirit of revelation must be in each and every in- 
dividual, to know the plan of salvation and keep in the path 
that leads them to the presence of God. 9 :279. 



COMMUNICATION BETWEEN GOD AND MAN 59 

This people believe in revelation. This people did be- 
lieve and do believe that the Lord has spoken from the 
heavens They did believe and do believe that God has 
sent angels to proclaim the everlasting Gospel, according 
to the testimony of John It was this that gave rise to the 
malice, hatred and vindictive feelings that have been so 
often made manifest against them. 12 282 

When a revelation is given to any people, they must 
walk according to it, or suffer the penalty which is the 
punishment of disobedience, but when the word is, "will 
you do thus and so ? " "it is the mind and will of God that 
you perform such and such a duty/' the consequences of 
disobedience are not so dreadful, as they would be if the 
word of the Lord were to be written under the declaration, 
"Thus saith the Lord " 12 127 

Instead of considering that there is nothing known and 
understood, only as we know and understand things nat- 
urally, I take the other side of the question, and believe 
positively that there is nothing known except by the rev- 
elation of the Lord Jesus Christ, whether m theology, sci- 
ence, or art. 12 :207. 

It pleases me a little to think how anxious this people 
are for new revelation. I wish to ask you a question: Do 
this people know whether they have received any revela- 
tion since, the death of Joseph, as a people? I can tell you 
that you receive them continually 6 282. 

All the revelations of God teach simply this — son, 
daughter, you are the workmanship of mine hands, walk 
and live before me in righteousness , let your conversations 
be chaste; let .your daily deportment be according to my 
law, let your dealings one with another be in justice and 
equity ; let my character be sacred in your mouth, and do 



60 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

not profane my holy name and trample upon my authority ; 
do not despise any of my sayings, for I will not be dis- 
graced 6 284-85. 

It has been observed that the people want revelation. 
This is a revelation ; and were it written, it would then be 
written revelation, as truly as the revelations which aie 
contained in the book of Doctrine and Covenants. I could 
give you revelation upon the subject of paying your tith- 
ing and building a temple to the name of the Lord ; for the 
light is in me I could put these revelations as straight to 
the line of truth in writing as any revelation you ever read. 
I could write the mind of the Lord, and you could put it in 
your pockets. But before we desire more written revelation, 
let us fulfil the revelations that aie already written, and 
which we have scarcely begun to fulfil. 6 .319. 

In every part and portion of the revelations of God as 
given to the children of men, or to any individual in heaven 
or on earth, to understand them properly, a man needs the 
Spirit by which they were given — the Spirit that reveals 
such matters to the understanding, and makes them famil- 
iar to the mind 8 27 

There are revelations, wisdom, knowledge, and under- 
standing yet to be proclaimed. 8 59 

"Well, Brother Brigham, have you had visions?" Yes, 
I have "Have you had revelations 7 " Yes, I have them 
all the time, I live constantly by the principle of revelation, 
I never received one iota of intelligence, from the letter A 
to what I now know, I mean that, from the very start of my 
life to this time, I have never received one particle of in- 
telligence, only by revelation, no matter whether father or 
mother revealed it, or my sister, or neighbor. 

No person receives knowledge, only upon the principle 



COMMUNICATION BETWEEN GOD AND MAN 61 

of revelation, that is, by having something revealed to them. 
"Do you have the revelations of the Lord Jesus Christ?" I 
will leave that for others to judge. If the Lord requires 
anything of this people, and speaks through me, I will tell 
them of it ; but if he does not, still we all live by the prin- 
ciple of revelation Who reveals? Everybody around us; 
we learn of each other. I have something which you have 
not, and you have -something which I have not; I reveal 
what I have to you, and you reveal what you have to me 
I believe that we are revelators to each other Are the heav- 
ens opened? Yes, to some at times, yet upon natural prin- 
ciples upon the principle of natural philosophy "Do you 
know the will and mmd of the Lord ? "' Yes, concerning this 
people, and concerning myseli. Does every one of my breth- 
ren and sisters know the will of the Lord ? Let me say to 
the Latter-day Saints, if they will take up their cross and 
follow the Lord Jesus Christ in the regeneration, many of 
them will receive more, know more, and have more of the 
Spirit of revelation than they are aware of , but the revela- 
tions which I receive are all upon natural principles. 3 :209 
I am so far from believing that any government upon 
this earth has constitutions and laws! that are perfect, that 
I do not even believe that there is a single revelation, among 
the many God has given to the Church, that is perfect in 
its fulness. The revelations of God contain correct doc- 
trine and principle, so far as they go , but it is impossible 
for the poor, weak, low, grovelling, sinful inhabitants of the 
earth to receive a revelation from the Almighty in all its 
perfections. He has to speak to us in a manner to meet the 
extent of our capacities, as we have to do with these be- 
nighted Lamanites , it would be of no benefit to talk to them 
as I am now speaking to you. Before you can enter into 



62 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

conversation with them, give them your ideas, you are un- 
der the necessity of condescending to their low estate, so far 
as communication is concerned, in order to exalt them. 
2 314. 

The construction of the electric telegraph and the 
method of using it enabling the people to send messages 
from one end of the earth to the other, is just as much a 
revelation from God as any ever given The same is true 
with regard to making machinery, whether it be a steam- 
boat, a carding machine, threshing machine, or anything 
else, it makes no difference— these things have existed from 
all eternity and will continue to all eternity, and the Lord 
has revealed them to his children 13 305. 

Many are pleading for revelations , do you suppose that 
Saints lack revelations ? They have plenty of them, and 
they are stored m the archives of those ,who have under- 
standing of the principles of the Priesthood, ready to be 
brought forth as the people need. 3 337. 

Men who know nothing of the Priesthood receive revel- 
ation and prophecy, and yet these gifts belong to the 
Church, and those who are faithful in the Kingdom of God 
inherit them and are entitled to them , and all ought to live 
so as to enjoy the spirit of these gifts and callings con- 
tinually. 11-325. 

Should you receive a vision or revelation from the Al- 
mighty, one that the Lord gave you concerning yourselves, 
or this people, but which you are not to reveal on account 
of your not being the proper person, or because it ought not 
to be known by the people at present, you should shut it 
up and seal it as close, and lock it as tight as heaven is to 
you, and make it as secret as the grave. The Lord has no 



COMMUNICATION BETWEEN GOD AND MAN 63 

confidence in those who reveal secrets, for he cannot safely 
reveal himself to such persons. 4 288. 

Take a course to open and keep open a communication 
with your Elder Brother or file-leader— our Savior. Were 
I to draw a distinction in all the duties that are required 
of the children of men, from first to last, I would place first 
and foremost the duty of seeking unto the Lord our God 
until we open the path of communication from heaven to 
earth — from God to our own souls. Keep every avenue of 
your hearts clean and pure before him. 8 "339. 

That man who cannot know things without telling any 
other living being upon the earth, who cannot keep his 
secrets and those that God reveals to him, never can receive 
the voice of his Lord to dictate him and the people on this 
earth. 4:287. 

It was asked me by a gentleman how I guided the peo- 
ple by revelation I teach them to live so that the Spirit' 
of revelation may make plain to them their duty day by day 
that they are able, to guide themselves. To get this revela- 
tion it is necessary that the people live so that their spirits 
are as pure and clean as a piece of blank paper that lies on 
the desk before the inditer, ready to receive any mark the 
writer may make upon it. 11 .240. 

Yes, my brethren and sisters here, both men and women, 
have revelation, and I can say with Moses of old — "Would 
God that all the Lord's people were prophets " 1 :242. 

Angels— There is a difference of opinion as to getting 
the word of the Lord ; but if you will read and cultivate the 
Spirit of God, you will understand how it is obtained. The 
Lord is not everywhere in person; but he has his agents 
speaking and acting for him. His angels, his messengers, 
his apostles and servants are appointed and authorized to 



64 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

act in his name. And his servants are authorized to coun- 
sel and dictate m the greatest and what might be deemed 
the most trifling matters, to instruct, direct and guide his 
Saints. 12:245. 

The Lord is here with us, not m person, but his angels 
are around us, and he takes cognizance of every act of the 
children of men, as individuals and as nations He is here 
ready by his agents, the angels, and by the power of his 
Holy Spirit and Priesthood, which he has restored in these 
last days, to bring most perfect and absolute deliverance 
unto all who put their trust in him, when they are ready 
to receive it. 11.14 

When an angel is appointed to perform a duty, to go to 
the earth, to preach the Gospel, or to do anything for the 
advancement of his Father's kingdom, in any part of the 
great domain of heaven, the vision of that angel is opened 
to see and understand the magnitude of the woik that is 
expected of him to perform, and the grand results which will 
grow out of it. That is the reason why the angels are of 
one heart and of one mind, m their faithfulness and obech- 
ence to the requirements of their Father and God They 
can desire and ask for nothing that will make them happy, 
good and great that is withheld from them; and life eternal 
is theirs Why, then, should they not be of one heart and 
of one mind ? They see alike, understand alike, and know 
alike, and all things are before them, and, as far as their 
knowledge and experience extend, they see the propriety of 
all the works of God, and the harmony and beauty thereof. 
11:15. 

What is the difference between Saints of God and an 
angel of God? One is clothed upon with mortality, the 
other has passed through mortality and has received the 



COMMUNICATION BETWEEN GOD AND MAN 65 

celestial glory of our Heavenly Father, and is free from the 
contaminating influences of sin that we have to contend 
with. 19:66. 

There is much in my presence besides those who sit 
here, if we had eyes to see the heavenly beings that are in 
our presence. 8:207. 

When the Lord commands those invisible beings, shall 
I say, those who have had their resurrection? — yes, mil- 
lions and millions more than the inhabitants of this earth, 
they can fight your battles. 2 .255. 

Prayer — Let all persons be fervent in prayer, until they 
know the things of God for themselves and become certain 
that they are walking m the path that leads to everlasting 
life ; then will envy, the child of ignorance, vanish and there 
will be no disposition in any man to place himself above 
another; for such a feeling meets no countenance in the 
order of heaven. Jesus Christ never wanted to be different 
from his Father. They were and are one. If a people are 
led by the revelations of Jesus Christ, and they are cog- 
nizant of the fact through their faithfulness, there is no 
fear but they will be one in Jesus Christ, and see eye to. 
eye. 9:150. 

If we draw near to him, he will draw near to us ; if we 
seek him early, we shall find him; if we apply our minds 
faithfully and diligently day by day, to know and under- 
stand the mind and will of God, it is as easy as, yes, I will 
say easier than, it is to know the minds of each other, for to 
know and understand ourselves and our own being is to 
know and understand God and his being. 13 :312. 

Practice your religion today, and say your prayers faithfully. 
16:28. 

The duty of the Latter-day Saints is to pray without 



66 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

ceasing, and in everything- to give thanks, to acknowledge 
the hand of the Loid in all things, and to be subject to his 
requirements 15 .63. 

Let every man and every woman call upon the name of 
the Lord, and that, too, from a pure heait, while they are 
at work as well as in their closet , while they are in public 
as well as while they are m private, asking the Father in 
the name of Jesus, to bless them, and to preserve and guide 
in, and to teach them, the way of life and salvation and to 
enable them so to live that they will obtain this eternal 
salvation that we are after 15 '63 ' 

The Loid says, I will be sought unto by my people for 
the blessings that they need. And instead of our classing 
prayer among the duties devolving upon us as Latter-day 
Saints, we should live so as to deem it one of the greatest 
privileges accorded to us, for were it not for the efficacy 
of prayer what would have become of us both as a people 
and as individuals ? 19 222. 

You know that it is one peculiarity of our faith and re- 
ligion never to ask the Lord to do a thing without being 
willing to help him all that we are able , and then the Lord 
will do the rest 5.293 

I shall not ask the Lord to do what I am not willing 
to do 8 143 

Do not ask God to give you knowledge, when you are 
confident that you will not keep and rightly improve -upon 
that knowledge. 3 :338 

I pray both for my friends and foi my enemies, that, if 
they will not repent, the earth may be speedily emptied 
of the ungodly. 4 .346 

If I ask him to give me wisdom concerning any require- 
ment in life, or m regard to my own course, or that of my 



COMMUNICATION BETWEEN GOD AND MAN 67 

friends, my family, my children, or those that I preside 
over, and get no answer from him, and then do the very 
best that my judgment will teach me, he is bound to own 
and honor that transaction, and he will do so to all intents 
and purposes. 3 205. 

When you approach the throne of grace and petition the 
Father, m the name of the Savior who has redeemed the 
world, do you use the name as the name of a stranger ? If 
you understand your own religion, you petition that Per- 
sonage as you would one of your brethren in the flesh. Is 
this strange to you? It should bring near to you things 
that pertain to eternity, give your reflections and views a 
more exalted cast, stamp your daily actions with truth and 
honesty, and cause you to be filled with the Spirit and 
power of God. 7.274-5 

Your prayers cannot prevail if there is disunion among 
you 5 331 

I do not know any other way for the Latter-day Saints 
than for every breath to be virtually a prayer for God to 
guide and direct his people, and that he will never suffer 
us to possess anything that will be an injury to us I am 
satisfied that this should be the feeling of every Latter-day 
Saint in the world If you aie making a bargain, if you 
are talking in the house, visiting m the social party, going 
forth in the dance, every breath should virtually be a prayer 
that God will preserve us from sin and from the effects of 
sin. 10 313. 

Let us be humble, fervent, submissive, yielding ourselves 
to the will of the Lord, and there is no danger but that we 
shall have his Spirit to guide us If we will open our lips 
and call upon' our Heavenly father, in the name of Jesus, 
we will have the spirit of prayer. I have proved this to be 



68 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

the best way If we do everything m the season thereof, 
attending to our prayers and daily labors in their proper 
order and at the right time, all will go well. 13:155. 

When you get up in the morning, before you suffer your- 
selves to eat one mouthful of food, call your wife and chil- 
dren together, bow down before the Lord, ask him to for- 
give your sins, and protect you through the day, to preserve 
you from temptation and all evil, to guide your steps aright, 
that you may do something that day that shall be beneficial 
to the Kingdom of God on the earth Have you time to do 
this? Elders, sisters, have you time to pray? 15 :36. 

Say your prayers always before going to work. Never 
forget that A father— the head of the family— -should 
never miss calling his family together and dedicating him- 
self and them to the Lord of Hosts, asking the guidance 
and direction of his Holy Spirit to lead them through the 
day— that very day. Lead us this day, guide us this day, 
preserve us this day, save us from sinning against thee or 
any being in heaven or on earth this day ! If we do this 
every day, the last day we live we will be prepared to en- 
joy a higher glory. 12 .261. 

We may say that our work drives us and that we have 
not time to pray, hardly time to eat our breakfasts. Then 
let the breakfasts go, and pray , get down upon our knees 
and pray until we are filled with the spirit of peace 10 174 

It matters not whether you or I feel like praying, when 
the time comes to pray, pray. If we do not feel like it, we 
should pray till we do. And if there is a heavy storm com- 
ing on and our hay is likely to be wet, let it come. You 
will find that those who wait till the Spirit bids them pray, 
will never pray much on this earth Such people would come 
to meeting and look at each other and then when they had 



COMMUNICATION BETWEEN GOD AND MAN 69 

stayed as long as they felt inclined, address their brethren 
with— "Goodbye, I am going home," and then leave. But 
when the time comes to have prayers, let them be made, and 
there will be no danger. 13 .155. 

There are times and places when all should vocally re- 
peat the words spoken, but in our prayer* meetings and m 
our family circles let every heart be united with the one 
who takes the lead by being mouth before the Lord, and 
let every person mentally repeat the prayers, and all unite 
in whatever is asked for, and the Lord will not withhold, 
but will give to such persons the things which they ask for 
and rightly need 3 *53 

Some of the brethren come to me and say, "Brother 
Bngham, is it my duty to pray when I have not one par- 
ticle of the spirit of prayer in me?" True, at times, men 
are perplexed and full .of care and trouble, their ploughs 
and other implements are out of order, their animals have 
strayed and a thousand things perplex them ; yet our judg- 
ment teaches us that it is our duty to pray, whether we are 
particularly in the spirit of praying or not. My doctrine is, 
it is your duty to pray ; and when the time for prayer. comes, 
John should say, "This is the place and this is the, time to 
pray; knees bend down upon the floor, and do so at once." 
But John said, "I do not want to pray , I do not feel like 
it M Knees get down, I say ; and down bend the knees, and 
he begins to think and reflect. Can you say anything? Can 
you not say, God have mercy on me a sinner? Yes, he can 
do this, if he can rise up and curse his neighbor for some 
ill deeds Now, John, open your mouth and say, Lord,. have 
mercy upon me. "But I do not feel the spirit of prayer" 
That does not excuse you, for you know what your duty is. 
You have a passion, a will, a temper to overcome. You 



70 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

are subject to temptation as other men; and when you are 
tempted, let the judgment which God has placed within 
you and the intelligence he has given you by the light of 
the Spirit be the master in this case 

If I could not master my mouth, I would my knees, and 
make them bend until my mouth would speak. "But the 
cattle are in the corn" Let them eat; you can attend to 
them when you have finished piaying. Let the will of man 
be, bi ought into subjection to the law of Christ— to all the 
ordinances of the house of God What, in his darkness and 
depression ? Yes , for that is the time to prove whether one 
is a friend of God, that the confidence of the Almighty may 
increase in his Son. We should so live that our confidence 
and faith may increase m him We must even go further 
than that. Let us so live that the faith and confidence of 
pur Heavenly Father may increase towards us, until he shall 
know that we will be true to him under any and all ciicum- 
stances and at all times. When m our darkness and tempta- 
tion we are found faithful to our duty, that increases the 
confidence of our God m us He sees that we will be his 
servants. 7:164. 

If the Devil says you cannot pray when you are angry, 
tell him it is none of his business, and pray until that species 
of insanity is dispelled and serenity is restored to the mind 
10 175 

Let every Saint, when he prays, ask God for the things 
he needs to enable him to promote righteousness on the 
earth If you do not know what to ask for, let me tell you 
how to pray When you pray m secret with your families, 
if you do not know anything to ask for, submit yourselves 
to your Father in Heaven and beseech him to guide you by 
the inspirations of the Holy Ghost, and to guide this people, 



COMMUNICATION BETWEEN GOD AND MAN 71 

and dictate the affairs of his Kingdom on the earth, and 
there leave it. Ask him to put you just where he wants 
you, and to tell you what he wants you to do, and feel that 
you are on hand to do it. 6 *43. 

When you have labored faithfully for years, you will 
learn this simple fact — that if your hearts are aright, and 
you still continue to be obedient, continue to serve God, 
continue to pray, the Spirit of revelation will be m you like 
a well of water springing up to everlasting life. Let no 
person give up prayer because he has not the spirit of 
prayer, neither let any earthly circumstance hurry you 
while in the performance of this important duty By bow- 
ing down before the Lord to ask him to bless you, you will 
simply find this result — God will multiply blessings on you 
temporally and spiritually Let a merchant, a. fanner, a 
mechanic, any person in business, live his religion faithfully, 
and he need never lose one minute's sleep by thinking about 
his business; he need not worry in the least, but trust in 
God, go to sleep and rest I say to this people— pray, and 
if you cannot do anything else, read a prayer aloud that 
your family may hear it, until you get a worshiping spirit, 
and are full of the riches of eternity, then you will be 
prepared at any time to lay hands on the sick, or to officiate 
in any of the ordinances of this religion. 12 :103. 

If I did not feel like praying, and asking my Father in 
Heaven to give me a morning blessing, and to preserve me 
and my family and the good upon the earth through the 
day, I should say, "Bngham, get down here on your knees, 
bow your body down bfefore the throne of him who rules 
in the heavens, and stay there until you can feel to suppli- 
cate at that throne of grace erected for sinners " 16 :28 



CHAPTER IV 
PRE-EXISTENCE; THE PLAN OF SALVATION 

Time — When was there a beginning-? There never was 
one ; if there was, there will be an end ; but there never was 
a beginning, and hence there will never be an end; that 
looks like eternity. When we talk about the beginning of 
eternity, it is rather simple conversation, and goes far be- 
yond the capacity of man. 2 307. 

Here is time, where is eternity? It is here, just as much 
as anywhere in all the expanse of space; a measured space 
of time is only a part of eternity. 3 :367. 

Every mind that thinks deeply upon the things of time 
and eternity, sees that time, which we measure by our lives, 
is like the stream from the mountains which gushes forth, 
yet we cannot tell from whence it comes, nor do we know 
naturally where it goeth, only it passes again into the 
clouds; so our lives are here, and this we are certain of. 
We do know that we live and that we have the power of 
sight We do know and can realize that we possess the 
faculty of hearing. We can discern between that which we 
like and that which we dislike This life that you and I 
possess is for eternity. Contemplate the idea of beings en- 
dowed with all the powers and faculties which we possess, 
becoming annihilated, passing out of existence, ceasing to 
be, and then try to reconcile it with our feelings and with 
our present lives. No intelligent person can do it. Yet 
it is only by the spirit of revelation that we can understand 
these things. By the revelations of the Lord Jesus we un- 
derstand things as they were, that have been made known 
unto us ; things that are in the life which we now enjoy, and 



PRE-EXISTENCE , THE PLAN OF SALVATION ' 73 

things as they will be, not to the fullest extent, but all that 
the Lord designs that we should understand, to make it 
profitable to us, in order to give us the experience necessary 
in this life to prepare us to enjoy eternal life hereafter 
12-111-112. 

The present is that portion of time that more particularly 
concerns us, and the greatest and most important labor we 
have to perform is to cultivate ourselves. That man may 
know his fellow creatures, it is necessary that he should 
first know himself When he thoroughly knows himself, 
he measurably knows God, whom to know is eternal life. 
10:2. 

As far as we can compare eternal things with earthly 
things that lie within the scope of ouf understanding, so 
far we can understand them. 10:1. 

As to the word annihilate, as we understand it, there is 
no such principle as to put a thing which exists, entirely 
out of existence, so that it does not exist in any form, shape, 
or place whatever. It would be as reasonable to say that 
endless, which is synonymous to the word eternity, has 
both a beginning and an end. 1 .352. 

The Organized Universe—The creations of God— the 
worlds that are and the worlds that have been, — who can 
grasp in the vision of his mind the truth that there never 
has been a time when there have not been worlds like this, 
and that there never will be a time when there will not be 
worlds organized and prepared for intelligent beings to 
dwell upon? 8:81. 

There is an eternity of matter. Astronomers estimate 
that there is between us and the nearest fixed star matter 
enough from which to organize millions of earths like this. 
There is an eternity of matter, and it is all acted upon and 



74 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

filled with a portion of divinity Matter is to exist; it can- 
not be annihilated Eternity is without bounds, and is filled 
with matter, and there is no such place as empty space 
And matter is capacitated to receive intelligence. 7 2 

Worlds are made of crude element which floats, with- 
out bounds in the eternities— in the immensity of space , an 
eternity of matter— no limits to it, in its natural crude state, 
and the power of the Almighty has this influence and wis- 
dom—when he speaks he is obeyed, and matter comes 
together and is organized 13 248 

According to all that the world has ever learned by the 
researches of philosophers and wise men, according to all 
the truths now revealed by science, philosophy and relig- 
ion, qualities and attributes depend entirely upon their con- 
nection with organized matter for their development and 
visible manifestation 1 1 -121 

Man and Matter Eternal— Mankind are organized of 
element designed to endure to all eternity; it never had a 
beginning and never can have an end. There never was 
a time when this matter, of which you and I are composed, 
was not m existence, and there never can be a time when 
it will pass out of existence , it cannot be annihilated. 

It is brought together, organized, and capacitated to 
receive knowledge and intelligence, to be enthroned in 
glory, to be made angels, Gods — beings who will hold con- 
trol over the elements, and have power by their word to 
command the creation and redemption of worlds, or to 
extinguish suns by their breath, and disorganize worlds, 
hurling them back into their chaotic state. This is what 
you and I are created for. 3 356. 



PRE-EXISTENCE ; THE PLAN OF SALVATION 75 

The elements with which we aie surrounded are as eter- 
nal as we are, and are loaded with supplies of every kind 
for the comfort and happiness of the human race. 10 '3. 

Earthly things will be decomposed and their reorgan- 
ization will be by the power of the resurrection ; then we 
shall begin to understand the proper use of element 7.65 

"Immaterial substance " It is like the center of a being 
everywhere and his circumference nowhere, or like being 
seated on the top of a topless throne. These are self-con- 
founding expressions, and there is no meaning to any of 
them. 16.31. * 

If we could so understand true philosophy as to under- 
stand our own creation, and what it is for— what design 
and intent the Supreme Ruler had in organizing matter and 
bringing it forth in the capacity that I behold you here 
today, we could comprehend that matter cannot be de- 
stroyed — that it is subject to organization and disorgan- 
ization; and could understand that matter can be organ- 
ized and brought forth into intelligence, and to possess 
more intelligence and to Continue to increase in that intelli- 
gence; and could learn those principles that organized mat- 
ter into animals, vegetables, and into intelligent beings ; and 
could discern the Divinity acting, operating, and diffusing 
principles into matter to produce intelligent beings and to 
exalt them— to what? Happiness. Will nothing short of 
that fully satisfy the spirits implanted within us ? No. 
7-2-3. - 

Gold and silver are composing, and so does every other 
kind of metal, the same as the hair upon my head, or the 
wheat in the field ; they do not compose as fast, but they 
are all the time composing or decomposing 1 .219. 

There never was a time when man did not exist, and 



76 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

there never will be a time when he will cease to exist 
Eternity is without confines, and all things animate and in- 
animate have their existence m it The Priesthood of God, 
that was given to the ancients and is given to men m the 
latter days, is co-equal in duration with eternity— is with- 
out beginning of days or end of life It is unchangeable m 
its system of government and its Gospel of salvation. It 
gives to Gods and angels their supremacy and power, and 
offers wealth, influence, posterity, exaltations, power, 
glory, kingdoms and thrones, ceaseless m their duration, to 
all who will accept them on the terms upon which they aie 
offered 10'5 

The life that is within us is a part of an eternity of life, 
and is organized spint, which is clothed upon by taber- 
nacles, thereby constituting our present being, which is 
designed for the attainment of further intelligence. The 
matter composing our bodies and spirits has been organized 
from the eternity of matter that fills immensity. 7*285. 

Man is organized and brought forth as the king of the 
earth, to understand, to criticise, examine, improve, manu- 
facture, arrange, and organize the crude matter, and honor 
and glorify the works of God's hands. This is a wide field 
for the operation of man, that reaches into eternity ; and it 
is good for mortals to search out the things of this earth. 
9:242. 

Man the Offspring of God— No human being has had 
power to organize his own existence. Then there is a 
greater than we. Are we our own in our bodies ? Are we 
our own in our spirits? We are not our own. We belong 
to our progenitors — to our Father and our God. 8 67 

Things were first created spiritually; the Father actu- 
ally begat the spirits, and they were brought forth and 



PRE-EXISTENCE ; THE PLAN OF SALVATION 77 

lived with him Then he commenced the work of create 
ing earthly tabernacles, precisely as he had been created in 
this flesh himself, by partaking of the coarse material that 
was organized and composed this earth, until his system 
was charged with it, consequently the tabernacles of his 
children were organized from the coarse materials of this 
earth. 

When the time came that his First-born, the Savior, 
should come into the world and take a tabernacle, the 
Father came himself and favored that Spirit with a taber- 
nacle instead of letting any other man do it The Savior 
was begotten by the Father and his Spirit, by the same 
Being who is the Father of our spirits, and that is all the 
organic difference' between Jesus Christ and you and me 
And a difference there is between our Father and us con- 
sists in that he has gained his exaltation, and has ob- 
tained eternal lives. The principle of eternal lives is an 
eternal existence, eternal duration, eternal exaltation. End- 
less are his kingdoms, endless *his thrones and his do- 
minions and endless are his posterity; they never will 
cease to multiply from this time henceforth and forever. 
4 218. 

I want to tell you, each and every one of you, that you 
are well acquainted with God our Heavenly Father, or the 
great Elohim. You are all well acquainted with him, for 
there is not a soul of you but what has lived in his house 
and dwelt with him year after year, and yet you are seek- 
ing to become acquainted with him, when the fact is, you 
have merely forgotten what you did know. 

There is not a person here to-day but what is a son or 
a daughter of that Being In the spirit world their spirits 
were first begotten and brought forth, and' they lived there 



78 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

with their parents for ages before they came here This, 
perhaps, is hard for many to believe, but it is the greatest 
nonsense in the world not to believe it If you do not 
believe it, cease to call him Father, and when you pi ay, 
pray to some other character. 4 216. 

We are the sons and daughters of celestial Beings, and 
the germ of the Deity dwells within us When our spirits 
took possession of these tabernacles, they weie as pure as 
the angels of God, wherefoie total depiavity cannot be a 
true doctrine 10 192. 

Our spirits once dwelt in the heavens and were as pure 
and holy as the angels; but angels have tabernacles and 
spirits have none; and they come to the meanest, lowest 
and humblest of the human race to obtain one rather than 
run any risk of not doing so. I have heard that the cele- 
brated Mr. Beecher, of Brooklyn, once said that the great- 
est misfortune that could ever happen to man was to be 
born; but I say that the greatest good foitune that ever 
happened or can happen to human beings is to be born on 
this earth, for then life and salvation are before them , then 
they have the privilege of overcoming death, and of tread- 
ing sin and iniquity under their feet, of incorporating into 
their daily lives every principle of life and salvation and 
of dwelling eternally with the Gods. 13 145. 

When we look upon the human face we look upon the 
image of our Father and God; there, is a divinity in each 
person, male and female , there is the heavenly, there is the 
divine and with this is amalgamated the human, the caithly, 
the weaker portions of our nature, and it is the human that 
shrinks in the presence of the divine, and this accounts for 
our man-fearing spirit, and it is all there is of it. 9 '291. 

The origin of thought was planted in our organization 



PRE-EXISTENCE ; THE PLAN OF SALVATION 79 

at the beginning of our being. This is not telling you how 
it came there, or who put it there. Thought originated 
with our individual being, which is organized to be as in- 
dependent as any being in eternity. 2 :135. 

We were created upright, pure, and holy, in the image 
of our father and our mother, the image of our God. 

Wherein do we differ ? In the talents that are given us, 
and in our callings. We are made of the same materials ; 
our spirits were begotten by the same parents; in the be- 
getting of the flesh we are of the same first parents, and all 
the kindreds of the earth are made of one flesh ; but we are 
different in regard to our callings. 3 .365. 

We have no true interest, only conjointly with our 
Father in Heaven. We are his children, his sons and 
daughters, and this should not be a mystery to this people, 
even though there are many who have been gathered with 
us but a short time. He is the God and Father of our 
spirits ; he devised the plan that produced our tabernacles ; 
the houses for our spirits to dwell in. 4:27. 

The Spirit of Man— The spirits that live in these taber- 
nacles were as pure as the heavens, when they entered 
them. They came to tabernacles that are contaminated, 
pertaining to the flesh, by the fall of man. The Psalmist 
says, "Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my 
mother conceive me." This -Scripture 'has established in 
the minds of some the doctrine of total depravity — that it is 
impossible for them to have one good thought, that they 
are altogether sinful, that there is no good, no soundness, 
and no spiritual health in them. This is not correct, yet 
we have a warfare within us. We have to contend against 
evil passions, or the seeds of iniquity that are sown in the 
flesh through the fall The pure spirits that occupy these 



80 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

tabernacles are operated upon, and it is the right of him 
that sent them into these tabernacles to hold the pre-emin- 
ence, and to always give the Spirit of truth to influence the 
spirits of men, that it may triumph and reign predominantly 
m our tabernacles, the God and Lord of every motion. We 
not only have this warfare continually, day by day, within 
ourselves, but we also have an outside influence or pressure 
to resist Both the religious and the political world have 
influences to contend against that very much resemble each 
other, they are more or less exercised, governed and con- 
trolled by surrounding- influences. We, Latter-day Saints, 
have an influence of this kind to contend against 10:105. 

We see life spring into existence all around us. Where 
is its fountain ? And how is it originated? It exists for a 
day, a night, a year, or an age, and it is gone , and who can 
say wheie? Who can tell what has become of the life that 
dwelt in that tabernacle, causing it to think,— that lit up 
the eye with living fire, and caused the mouth to utter forth 
wisdom ? Can mortal man tell? Not unless he is inspired 
by the Almighty, and understands eternal things The 
origin of all things is in eternity. Like a cloud passing 
across a clear sky — like a bird that suddenly flits across our 
path— like a pure gushing stream from a hidden fountain, 
that soon sinks in some mountain chasm, so, apparently, life 
flashes into this mortal existence, and passes away. 7.173 

Intelligence is given unto us to improve upon 8"81. 

The origin of thought and reflection is in ourselves. We 
think, because we are, and are made susceptible of external 
influences, and to feel our relationship to external objects. 
Thus thoughts of revenge, and thoughts of blessing will 
arise in the same mind, as it is influenced by external cir- 
cumstances. 2:135 



pre-existence; the plan oe salvation 81 

There is just as much difference in the spiritual organ- 
ization, as you see in the temporal organization. You can 
see that eternal variety in both. 9:125. 

I see a man grow up from the infant stage to be a 
scholar, and by and by he has an empire, and can give laws 
to the people, that can equalize them, and bring them to a 
state of happiness and excellency, and give them all the 
advantages that man can possess upon the earth, and make 
every man happy and comfortable This is the work that 
we have upon our hands Teach the people the faith of 
the Gospel Teach them what God is, and what his work 
is, and that there never was a time such as many of our 
philosophers speak of, who drift back and back, and come 
to this theory and that theory, and go back, and back to the 
time when we were all reptiles. When was there a time 
when there was not a God? But, say they, there must 
have been a time Then you declare to me, do you, that 
there was a time when there was no time ? And this is the 
philosophy of a great many of the scientific in this day. 
They see the heavens stretched out, but they comprehend 
them not And why do they not say, if there was a time 
when there was no time, there will be a time again when 
there will be no time. What a condition for man to be in 1 
Can we look onward and upward through the immensity 
of space, and behold the worlds on worlds that we call 
stars, and imagine that they will be blotted out forever? 
What an idea! 19:49 

Everything in heaven, on earth, and in hell is organized 
for the benefit, advantage and exaltation of intelligent be- 
ings ; therefore there is nothing that is out of the pale of 
our faith. There is nothing, I may say, good or bad, light 
or darkness, truth or error, but what is to be controlled 



82 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

by intelligent beings , and we should learn how to take mto 
our possession every blessing and every privilege that God 
has put within otfr reach, and know how to use our time, 
our talents, and all our acts for the advancement of his 
Kingdom upon the earth 6 145 

We are all his children. We are his sons and daughters 
naturally, and by the principles of eternal life We are 
brethren and sisters. What is it that makes the dis- 
tinctions we see in the classes of the children of men? 
We see the low and the degraded, like the aborigines of our 
country, what is the cause of their being in their present 
condition? It is because of the rejection by their fathers 
of the Gospel of the Son of God The Gospel brings in- 
telligence, happiness, and glory to all who obey it and live 
according to its precepts. It will give them intelligence 
that comes from God. Their minds will be open so as to 
understand things as they are; they will rejoice in being 
blessed themselves and in blessing their fellow beings, and 
in being prepared to re-enter the presence of the Father 
and the Son. This will be their delight. 13 .178. 

The Council in Heaven— The Council in heaven said, 
"Let there be an earth, and let there be a firmament above 
and beneath it," and it was so. They said, "Let there be 
heat and cold," and it was so. They said, "Let there be 
spring and summer, autumn and winter," and it was so. 
9 254. 

"Who will redeem the earth, who will go forth and make 
the sacrifice for the earth and all things it contains?" The 
Eldest Son said "Here am I ," and then he added, "Send 
me " But the second one, which was "Lucifer, Son of the 
Morning," said, "Lord, here am I, send me, I will redeem 
every son and daughter of Adam and Eve that lives on the 



PRE-EXISTENCE J THE PLAN OF SALVATION 83 

earth, or that ever goes on the earth." "But," says the 
Father, "that will not answer at all. I give each and every 
individual his agency; all must use that in order to gain 
exaltation in my kingdom; inasmuch as they have the 
power of choice they must exercise that power. They are 
my children ; the attributes which you see in me are in my 
children and they must use their agency. If you undertake 
to save all, you must save them in unrighteousness and cor- 
ruption. You will be the man that will say to the thief on 
the cross, to the murderer on the gallows, and to him who 
has killed his father, mother, brothers, and sisters and little 
ones, 'Now, if you will say, I repent and believe on the Lord 
Jesus Christ, or on the Savior of the world, you shall be 
saved.' " This is what all the religious sects of the day are 
saying now, but Jesus did not say any such thing. 13 :282. 

When there was rebellion in heaven, judgment was laid 
to the line and righteousness to the plummet, and the evil 
were cast out. Yet there was a portion of grace allotted to 
those rebellious characters. 

But they must go from heaven, they could not dwell 
there, they must be cast down to the earth to try the sons 
of men, and to perform their labor in producing an oppo- 
site in all things, that the inhabitants of the earth might 
have the privilege of improving upon the intelligence given 
to them, the opportunity for overcoming evil, and for 
learning the principles which govern eternity, that they may 
be exalted therein. 3 '256. 

The Lord Almighty suffered this schism in heaven to 
see what his subjects would do preparatory to their coming 
to this earth. 14:93. 

In regard to the battle in 'heaven, that Brother Truman 
O. Angell referred to, how much of a battle it was I have 



84 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

forgotten I cannot relate the principal circumstances, it is 
so long since it happened; but I do not think it lasted very 
long, for when Lucifer, the Son of the Morning, claimed the 
privilege of having the control of this earth, and redeem- 
ing it, a contention arose, but I do not think it took long 
to cast down one-third of the hosts of heaven, as it is writ- 
ten in the Bible. But let me tell you that it was one-third 
part of the spirits who were prepared to take tabernacles 
upon this earth, and who rebelled against the other two- 
thirds of the heavenly host; and they were cast down to 
this world. It is written that they were cast down to the 
earth. They weie cast down to this globe— to this terra 
firma that you and I walk upon, and whose atmosphere we 
breathe One-third part of the spirits that weie prepared 
for this earth rebelled against Jesus Christ, and were cast 
down to the earth, and they have been opposed to him from 
that day to this, with Lucifer at their head. He is their 
general— Lucifer, the Son of the Morning He was once 
a brilliant and influential character in heaven, and we will 
know more about him hereafter. 5 .54-55. 

From the spirit and tenor of the ancient Scriptures and 
revelations which we have received, it is plainly set forth 
that there are men preappointed to perform certain works 
in their lifetime, and bring to pass certain ends and pur- 
poses in the economy of heaven. 11 .253. 

Do you not think that the Lord has his eye upon a great 
many? There is a passage of Scripture that reads thus* 
"For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be 
conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the 
firstborn among many brethren," etc. Whom did he not 
foreknow? I do not think there is anybody now on the 
earth, that has lived before- us, or that will come after us, 



PRE-EXISTENCE , THE PLAN OF SALVATION 85 

but what he knew. He knew who would be his anointed ; 
he had his eye upon them all the time, as he had upon 
Moses, Pharaoh, Abraham, Melchizedek, and Noah, who 
was a chosen vessel to build the ark and save a remnant 
from the flood. 8 229. 

It is a mistaken idea that God has decreed all things 
whatsoever that come to pass, for the volition of the crea- 
ture is as free as air. You may inquire whether we believe 
in foreordination , we do, as strongly as any people in the 
world. We believe that Jesus was foreordained before the 
foundations of the world were built, and his mission was 
appointed him in eternity to be the Savior of the world, yet 
when he came m the flesh he was left free to choose or re- 
fuse to obey his Father. Had he refused to obey his 
Father, he would have become a son of perdition. We also 
are free to choose or refuse the principles of eternal life 
God has decreed and foreordained many things that have 
come to pass, and he will continue to do so , but when he 
decrees great blessings upon a nation or upon an individual 
they are decreed upon certain conditions. When he de- 
crees great plagues and overwhelming destructions upon 
nations or people, those decrees come to pass because those 
nations and people will not forsake their wickedness and 
turn unto the Lord. It was decreed that Nineveh should 
be destroyed in forty days, but the decree was stayed on the 
repentance of the inhabitants of Nineveh. God rules and 
reigns, and has made all his children as free as himself, to 
choose the right or the wrong, and we shall then be judged 
according to our works. 10 324. 

You cannot give any persons their exaltation unless they 
know what evil is, what sin, sorrow, and misery are, for no 
person could comprehend, appreciate and enjoy an exalta- 



86 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

tion upon any other principle. The Devil with one-third 
part of the spirits of our Father's Kingdom got here 
before us, and we tarried there with our friends, until 
the time came for us to come to the earth and take 
tabernacles, but those spirits that revolted were forbidden 
ever to have tabernacles of their own. You can now com- 
prehend how it is that they are always trying to get pos- 
session of the bodies of human beings , you read of a man's 
being possessed of a legion, and Mary Magdalene had seven. 
3:369. ' 

Foreordmation, for instance, and free grace are both 
true doctrines, but they must be properly coupled together 
and correctly classified, so as to produce harmony between 
these two apparently opposite doctrines. 6.291. 

The Plan of Salvation— The great plan called the plan 
of salvation — the system of doctrine, ideas, and practices 
that pertain to all the intelligence that exists in eternity 
8 32. 

Elevation, exaltation and glory are the objects of the 
Father in peopling this earth with his progeny. 10:191. 

This is the plan of salvation Jesus will never cease his 
work until all are brought up to the enjoyment of a king- 
dom in the mansions of his Father, where there are many 
kingdoms and many glories, to suit the works and faithful- 
ness of all men that have lived on the earth. Some will 
obey the celestial law and receive of its glory, some will 
abide the terrestrial and some the telestial, and others will 
receive no glory. 13 76. 

When you understand the Gospel plan, you will com- 
prehend that it is the most reasonable way of dealing with 
the human family You will discern that purity, holiness, 



PRE-EXISTENCE , THE PLAN OF SALVATION 87 

justice, perfection, and all that adorns the character of the 
Deity are contributing to the salvation of men. 8 115, 

Our mortal existence is a school of experience. 9 29 

Our mortal bodies are all important to us ; without them 
we never can be glorified in the eternities that will be. We 
are in this state of being for the express purpose of obtain- 
ing habitations for our spirits to dwell in, that they may be- 
come personages of tabernacle 9 286. 

Our bodies are all important to us, though they may be 
old and withered, emaciated with toil, pain, and sickness, 
and our limbs bent with rheumatism, all uniting to hasten 
dissolution, for death is sown in our mortal bodies. The 
food and drink we partake of are contaminated with the 
seeds of death, yet we partake of them to extend our lives 
until our allotted work is finished, when our tabernacles, in 
a state of ripeness, are sown m the earth to produce im- 
mortal fruit Yet, if we live our holy religion and let the 
spirit reign, it will not become dull and stupid, but as the 
body approaches dissolution the spirit takes a firmer hold 
on that enduring substance behind the veil, drawing from 
the depths of that eternal Fountain of Light sparkling 
gems of intelligence which surround the frail and sinking 
tabernacle with a halo of immortal wisdom 9 *288 

Until the last spirit that has been designed to come here 
and take a tabernacle has come upon the earth, the winding- 
up scene cannot come. 8 352. 

Can you save all? Yes, you can save all that will be 
saved. If people are not saved, it is because they are not 
disposed to be saved. They act for themselves, and act 
from choice. 9 125. 

The whole object of the creation of this world is to exalt 
the intelligencies that are placed upon it, that they 'may live, 



88 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

endure, and increase for ever and ever. We are not here to 
quarrel and contend about the things of this world, but we 
are here to subdue and beautify it. Let every man and 
woman worship their God with all their heart. Let them 
pay their devotions and sacrifices to him, the Supreme, and 
the Author of their existence Bo all the good you can to 
your fellow-creatures. You are flesh of my flesh and bone 
of my bone. God has created of one blood all the nations 
and kingdoms of men that dwell upon all the face of the 
earth, black, white, copper-colored, or whatever their color, 
customs, or religion, they have all sprung from the same 
origin; the blood of all is from the same element. 7-290 

The Lord created you and me for the purpose of becom- 
ing Gods like himself, when we have been proved in our 
present capacity, and have been faithful with all things he 
puts into our possession 

How many will become thus privileged ? Those who 
honor the Father and the Son ; those who receive the Holy 
Ghost, and magnify their calling, and are found pure and 
holy; they shall be crowned in the presence of the Father 
and the Son 3 93 

The gi eat and grand secret of salvation, which we should 
continually seek to understand through our faithfulness, is 
the continuation of the lives 18 260. 

We are all the children of our common Father, who has 
placed us on the earth to prove ourselves, to govern, con- 
trol, educate and sanctify ourselves, body and spirit, unto 
him, according to his will and pleasure. When all that class 
of spirits designed to take bodies upon this earth have done 
so, then will come the winding-up scene of this particular 
department of tjie works of God on this earth It is his 
will that we should prepare ourselves to build up his 



PSE-EXISTENCE ; THE PLAN OF SALVATION 89 

Kingdom, gather the House of Israel, redeem and build up 
Zion and Jerusalem, revolutionize the world, and bring back 
that which has been lost through the fall. 10 :2. 

The Lord has given the earth to the children of men, 
that by the union of mind and matter, inspired and directed 
by the power of eternal Priesthood, ail may be made sub- 
ject to the Great Supreme Ruler of the universe. 9:255 

The very laws which govern eternity are planned to sus- 
tain an eternal growth, gathering together and increasing; 
so that the true servant of God cannot possibly suffer loss, 
but will reap eternal gain, though he, for the cause of truth, 
is poor and needy through the whole of this short life. He 
has made truth his theme, and what is it? I will say it is 
that which endures ; it is eternity, and its power is to grow, 
increase, and expand, adding life to life, and power to 
power, worlds without end. 2.129. 

You may ask, "What is meted out to us?" I answer 
the ordinances, the sacraments that the Lord Jesus Christ 
instituted for the salvation of the Jews, for all the House of 
Israel, and then for the Gentiles. This is the Gospel-^the 
plan of salvation the Lord has given to us. This is the 
Kingdom the Lord has presented to us, the same he pre- 
sented to the Apostles in the days of Jesus 3 90. 

It is the wish of our Heavenly Father to bring all his 
children back into his presence. The spirits of all the 
human family dwelt with him before they took tabernacles 
of flesh and became subject to the fall and to sin. He is 
their spiritual Father, and has sent them here to be clothed 
with flesh, and to be subject, with their tabernacles, to the 
ills that afflict fallen humanity. When they have proved 
themselves faithful in all things, and worthy before him, 
they can then have the privilege of returning again to his 



90 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

presence, with their bodies, to dwell in the abodes of the 
blessed If man could have been made perfect in his double 
capacity of body and spirit, without passing through the 
ordeals of mortality, there would have been no necessity 
of our coming into this state of trial and suffering. Could 
the Lord have glorified his children in spirit, without a 
body like his own, he no doubt would have done so 11 43. 

We had an existence before we came into the world. 
Our spirits came here pure to take these tabernacles , they 
came to occupy them as habitations, with the understand- 
ing that all that had passed previously to our coming here 
should be taken away from us, that we should not know 
anything about it 3 367 

The plan by which God works is rational, and meets the 
capacity of his children. This earth is the home he has 
prepared for us, and we are to prepare ourselves and our 
habitations for the celestial glory in store for the faithful 
None will be destroyed except those who receive the oracles 
of truth and reject them. None are condemned except those 
who have the privilege of receiving the words of eternal life 
and refuse to receive them 8 294. 

He governs by law. He has also provided means and, 
in connection with the attributes he has implanted within 
us, has instituted ordinances which, if we will receive and 
improve upon, will enable us to return back into his 
presence. 13 171. 

Is there a debt contracted between the Father 
and his children? There is Our first parents trans- 
gressed the law that was given them in the garden; their 
eyes were opened. This created the debt. What is the na- 
ture of this debt? It is a divine debt. What will pay it? 



PRE-EXISTENCE , THE PLAN OF SALVATION 91 

I ask, Is there anything short of a divine sacrifice that can 
pay this debt? No, there is not. 

A divine debt has been contracted by the children, and 
the Father demands recompense. He says to his children 
on this earth, who are in sin and transgression, it is im- 
possible for you to pay this debt , I have prepared a sacri- 
fice ; I will send my Only Begotten Son to pay this divine 
debt. Was it necessary then that Jesus should die ? Do we 
understand why he should sacrifice his life? The idea that 
the Son of God, who never committed sin, should sacrifice 
his life is unquestionably preposterous to the minds of many 
in the Christian world But the fact exists that the Father, 
the Divine Father, whom we serve, the God of the Uni- 
verse, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and 
the Father 'of our spirits, provided this sacrifice and sent 
his Son to die for us , and it is also a great fact that the Son 
came to do the will of the Father, and that he has paid the 
debt, m fulfilment of the Scripture which says, "He was 
the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." 

Is this easy to understand ? It is perfectly easy to me , 
and my advice to those who have queries and doubts on this 
subject is, when they reason and philosophize upon it, not 
to plant their position in falsehood or argue hypothetically, 
but upon the facts as they exist, and they will come to the 
conclusion that unless God provides a Savior to pay this 
debt it can never be paid. Can all the wisdom of the world 
devise means by which we can be redeemed, and return 
to the presence of our Father and Elder Brother, and dwell 
with holy angels and celestial beings? No; it is beyond 
the power and wisdom of the inhabitants of the earth that 
now live, or that ever did or ever will live, to prepare er 
create a sacrifice that will pay this divine debt. But God 



92 DISCOURSES OF BRIGIIAM YOUNG 

provided it, and his Son has paid it, and we, each and every 
one, can now receive the truth and be saved in the King- 
dom of God Is it clear and plain ? It is to me, and if you 
have the Spirit of God, it is as plain to you as anything else 
in the world. 14.71. 

Has the Lord cast an obstacle in the way of any indi- 
vidual, to deprive him of the privilege of being exalted ? No, 
not one, but every thing that could be done has been done, 
every provision that could be made has been made, every 
law that could be instituted to encourage and elevate the 
people, to increase their faith, their knowledge, their under- 
standing, and to lead them to life and salvation, the Lord 
has brought to this people. 4.196 

The world is before us, eternity is before us, and an in- 
exhaustible fountain of intelligence for us to obtain 8 8. 

It seems to be absolutely necessary in the providence of 
him who created us, and who organized and fashioned all 
things according to his wisdom, that man must descend 
below all things. It is written of the Savior in the Bible 
that he descended below all things that he might ascend 
above all Is it not so with every man ? Certainly it is It is 
fit, then, that we should descend below all things and come 
up gradually, and learn a little now and again, receive "line 
upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a 
little" 15 3. 

We know the design of our Father in Heaven in creat- 
ing the earth and in peopling it, and bringing forth the 
myriads of organizations which dwell upon it We know 
that all this is for his glory— to swell the eternities that 
are befoie him with intelligent beings who are capable of 
enjoying the height of glory. But, before we can come in 
possession of this, we need large experience, and its acquisi- 



pre-existence; the plan of salvation 93 

tion is a slow process. Our lives here are for the purpose 
of acquiring this, and the longer we live the greater it 
should be. 14:229. 

It has also been decreed by the Almighty that spirits, 
upon taking bodies, shall forget all they had known prev- 
iously, or they could not" have a day of trial— could not have 
an opportunity for proving themselves in darkness and 
temptation, in unbelief and wickedness, to prove themselves 
worthy of eternal existence, 6:333. 

Recollect the saying of one of the Apostles, when speak- 
ing about getting into the kingdom of heaven, that "if the 
righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and 
the sinner appear?" The best man that ever lived on this 
earth only just made out to save himself through the grace 
of God. The best woman that ever lived on the earth has 
only just made her escape from this world to a better one, 
with a full assurance of enjoying the first resurrection. It 
requires all the atonement of Christ, the mercy of the 
Father, the pity of angels and the grace of the Lord Jesus 
Christ to be with us always, and then to do the very best we 
possibly can, to get rid of this sin within us, so that we 
may escape from this world into the celestial kingdom. 
ir:301. 

Millions of them have passed away, both in the Christian 
and in the heathen worlds, just as honest, virtuous and up- 
right as any now living. The Christian world say they are 
lost ; but the Lord will save them, or, at least, all who will 
receive the Gospel. The plan of salvation which Jesus has 
revealed, and which we preach, reaches to the lowest and 
most degraded of Adam's lost race. Is he going to save all 
in the same glory and bring all the same state of felicity? 
Will they who refuse to obey the Gospel of the Son of God 



94 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

be saved and exalted in the same kingdom and glory as 
they who have obeyed? No, never, never! It is impossi- 
ble. 13:323. 

Darkness and sin were permitted to come on this earth. 
Man partook of the forbidden fruit in accordance with a 
plan devised from 'eternity, that mankind might be brought 
in contact with the principles and powers of darkness, that 
they might know the bitter and the sweet, the good and the 
evil, and be able to discern between light and darkness, to 
enable them to receive light continually 7.158. 

The greatest desire in the bosom of our Father Adam, 
or of his faithful children who are co-workers with God, 
our Father in Heaven, is to save the inhabitants of the 
earth. 8:174. 



CHAPTER V 
FREE AGENCY 

All rational beings have an agency of their own ; and ac- 
cording to their own choice they will be saved or damned. 
6:97. 

The volition of the creature is free ; this is a law of their 
existence and the Lord cannot violate his own law; were 
he to do that, he would cease to be God. He has placed 
life and death before his children, and it is for them to 
choose. If they choose life, they receive the blessing of 
life; if they choose death, they must abide the penalty 
This is a law which has always existed from all eternity, 
and will continue to exist throughout all the eternities to 
come. Every intelligent being must have the power of 
choice, and God brings forth the results of the acts of his 
creatures to promote his Kingdom and subserve his pur- 
poses in the salvation and exaltation of his children. 
11:272. 

My independence is sacred to me — it is a portion of that 
same Deity that rules in the heavens. 'There is not a being 
upon the face of the earth who is made in the image of 
God, who stands erect and is organized as God is, that 
would be deprived of the free exercise of his agency so far 
as he does not infringe upon others' rights, save by good 
advice and a good example. 10:191. 

When the Lord made man, he made him an agent ac- 
countable to his God, with liberty to act and to do as he 
pleases, to a certain extent, in order to prove himself. There 
is a law that governs man thus far; but the law of the celes- 



96 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

tial kingdom, as I have frequently told you, is, and always 
will be, the same to all the children of Adam. 2 139 

He has given them the privilege of choosing for them- 
selves, whether it be good or evil, but the result of our 
choice is still in his hand All his children have the right 
of making a path for themselves, of walking to the right or 
to the left, of telling the truth or that which is not true 
This right God has given to all people who dwell on the 
earth, and they can legislate and act as they please , but God 
holds them in his hands, and he will bring forth the re- 
sults of his glory, and for the benefit of those who love 
and serve him, and he will make the wrath of men to praise 
him All of us are in the hands of that God 13 178. 

We possess no ability, only that which is given us of 
God He has endowed us with glorious faculties, with God- 
like attributes like those which are incorporated m his own 
nature, and he has placed us upon this earth to honor 
them, and to sanctify ourselves and the earth preparatory 
to enjoying it in its celestial state We are not, in any- 
thing, independent of God We inherit what we possess 
from him Yet it is so ordained, in the fathomless wisdom 
of God, that we should be agents to ourselves to choose the 
good or the evil, and thereby save and exalt our existence, 
or lose it 10 *265 

Our Father controls the results of our acts at his own 
pleasure, and we caftnot prevent it Man can produce and 
control his own" acts, but he has no control over their re- 
sults. God causes even the wrath of man to praise him, to 
redound to his glory and the salvation of his children 8:18. 

The Lord has not established laws by which I am com- 
pelled to have my shoes made in a certain style He has 
never given a law to determine whether I shall have a 



FREE AGENCY 97 

square-toed boot or a peaked-toe boot; whether I shall 
have a coat with the waist just under my arms, and the 
skirts down to my heels ; or whether I shall have a coat like 
the one I have on. Intelligence, to a certain extent, was be- 
stowed both upon Saint and sinner, to use independently, 
aside from whether they have the law of the Priesthood or 
not, or whether they have ever heard of it or not/ 2:139. 

We cannot all do just as*we please, because a great 
many times we want to and cannot, and that is what pro- 
duces misery, which is called hell. 13 :33. 

How far does our agency extend? There are certain 
bounds to it. What we have witnessed in thirty years' ex- 
perience teaches us that man can appoint, but God can dis- 
appoint. Man can load his gun to shoot his neighbor, but 
he cannot make the ball hit him, if the Lord Almighty see 
fit to turn it away. He can draw the sword to hew down 
his fellow-man ; but instead of that, he may fall upon it him- 
self. 8:31. 

There are limits to agency, and to all things and to all 
beings, and our agency must not infringe upon that law. A 
man must choose life or death, and if he chooses death he 
will find himself abridged, and that the agency which is 
given to him is so bound up that he cannot exercise it in 
opposition to the law, without laying himself liable to be 
corrected and punished by the Almighty. 

A man can dispose of his agency or of his birth-right, 
as did Esau of old, but when disposed of, he cannot again 
obtain it; consequently, it behooves us to be careful, and 
not forfeit that agency that is given to us. The difference 
between the righteous and the sinner, eternal life or death, 
happiness or misery, is this, to those who are exalted there 
are no bounds or limits to their privileges, their blessings 



98 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

have a continuation, and to their kingdoms, thrones, and 
dominions, principalities, and powers there is no end, but 
they increase through all eternity , whereas, those who re- 
ject the offer, who despise the proffered mercies of the 
Lord, and prepare themselves to be banished from his 
presence, and to become companions of the devils, have 
their agency abridged immediately, and bounds and limits 
are put to their operations.* 3 267. 

The Lord does not compel any person to embrace the 
Gospel, and I do not think he will compel them to live it 
after they have embraced it. 10 282. 

Our religion will not permit us to command or force 
any man or woman to obey the Gospel we have embraced 
And we a*e under no obligation to do this, for every crea- 
ture has as good a right, according to his organization, to 
choose for himself as the Gods. 14 -94 

Not that the drveise creeds are right, but the agency 
of the believers therein demands protection for them, as 
well as for us. 3 257. 

Do you suppose that the Lord would have ever given a 
king to Israel, if they had not required one of his hands? 
No, he would have been their king and ruler, and there 
would have been a prophet to guide them, had it not been 
for their rebellion. They made choice of a king, and God 
gave them one in his anger. 

Their rebellion against the law, the agency given to 
them allowing their free choice', induced them to ask for a 
king, and God gave them one. 3 :257. 

When I contemplate the endless variety in the disposi- 
tions, understandings, temperaments, countenances, and or- 
ganizations of people, I am not surprised that there are 
those who do not understand things as I do. I expect peo- 



FREE AGENCY 99 

pie to have their own peculiar views, forms, principles, and 
notions. In consequence of this great variety, we should 
not be astonished if all do not believe the Gospel — do not 
love the truth. 8 131. 

It is as much my right to differ from other men, as it is 
theirs to differ from me, in points of doctrine and principle, 
when our minds cannot at once arrive at the same conclu- 
sion. I feel it sometimes very difficult indeed to word my 
thoughts as they exist in my own mmd, which, I presume, 
is the grand cause of many apparent differences in senti- 
ment which may exist among the Saints. 2.123, 

I am not going to drive a man or a woman to heaven 
A great many thmk that they will be able to flog people 
into' heaven, but this can never be done, for the intelligence 
in us is as independent as the Gods People are not to be 
driven, and you can put into a gnat's eye all the souls of 
the children of men that are driven into heaven by preach- 
ing hell-fire. 9:124 

When misuse of power has reached a certain stage, the 
divinity that is within the people asserts its right and they 
free themselves from the power of despotism 10:191. 

When the people do all they can, the Lord is bound to 
do the rest. 3 :154. 

Many are disposed through their own wickedness "to 
do as I damned please," and they are damned. 11 254. 

When a truth is presented to an intelligent person he 
ought to grasp it and receive it in his faith 8 .59. 

You may know whether you are led right or wrong, as 
well as you know the way home; for every principle God 
has revealed carries its own convictions of its truth to the 
human mind, and there is no calling of God to man on earth 



100 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

but what brings with it the evidence of its authenticity. 
9:149. 

You cannot break nor destroy the will. It is influenced 
and controlled, more or less, by the evil that is sown in the 
flesh, but not in the spirit, until the body has grown to 
years of accountability , then evil, when listened to, begins 
to rule and overrule the spirit God has placed within man. 
6-332. 

Men should not be permitted to do as they please in all 
things ; for there are rules regulating all good societies and 
the business intercourse of men with each other, which are 
just and righteous in themselves, the violation of which 
cannot be countenanced either by civil or religious usages 
It is not the privilege of any man to waste the time of his 
employer under any pretense whatever, and the cause of 
religion, good government, and humanity is not in the least 
degree advanced by the practice, but the contrary is really 
the case. Men should be abridged in doing wrong; they 
should not be free to sin against God or against man with- 
out suffering such penalties as their sins deserve 12-153. 

Does it follow that a man is deprived of his rights, be- 
cause he lists in his heart to do the will of God? Must a 
man swear to prove that he has an agency? I contend 
there is no necessity for that, nor for stealing nor for doing 
any wrong I can manifest to the heavens and to the in- 
habitants of the earth that I am free-born, and have my lib- 
erty before God, angels and men, when I kneel down to 
pray, certainly as much as if I were to go out and swear. I 
have the right to call my family together at certain hours 
for prayer, and I believe that this course proves that I am a 
free agent,* as much as if I were to steal, swear, He, and get 
drunk. 10:323. 



FREE AGENCY 101 

We would not make everybody bow down to our re- 
ligion, if we had the power ; for this* would not be Godlike. 
14:94. 

The eternal laws by which he and all others exist in 
the eternities of the Gods decree that the consent of the 
creature must be obtained before the Creator can rule per- 
fectly. 15:134. 

The Lord has a school upon the earth, and we are his 
scholars; and the Devil also has a school attended by a 
great number of scholars. While we have been learning 
how to sustain the Kingdom of God upon the earth, the 
Devil and his pupils have been learning how to sustain the 
kingdom of darkness. From the very nature of the two 
kingdoms upon one planet, the crisis must come when there 
will be a literal open warfare, just as much as there now is 
a warfare within us against evil ; and if we, as individuals 
and as a community^ have gained the victory over our pas- 
sions to such a degree that our Father knows that we are 
capable of actually sustaining the Kingdom of God upon 
the earth, just so true we shall be a kingdom by ourselves. 
If we are not yet capable of maintaining and rightly man- 
aging that kingdom, it will not at present be given to us in 
the fulness thereof; but the time will come when it will be 
given and established in its perfect organization on the 
earth. 5:328. 

The law of liberty is the law of right in every particular. 
12:152. 

There is not, has not been, and never can be any method, 
scheme, or plan devised by any being in this world for in- 
telligence to exist eternally and obtain an exaltation, with- 
out knowing the good and the evil — without tasting the 
bitter and the sweet. Can the people understand that it is 



102 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

actually necessary for opposite principles to be placed be- 
fore them, or this state of being would be no probation, and 
we should have no opportunity for exercising the agency 
given us? Can they understand that we cannot obtain eter- 
nal life unless we actually know and comprehend by our 
experience the principle of good and the principle of evil, 
the light and the darkness, truth, virtue, and holiness,— also 
vice, wickedness, and corruption? We must discern and 
acknowledge that the providences of the Lord are over all 
the works of his hands— that when he produces intelligent 
bemgs he watches over them for their good He has given 
human beings an intelligence designed to become eternal, 
self -existent, independent, and as Godlike as any being- in 
the heavens. 

To answer such design, we are given our agency — the 
control of our belief, and must know the darkness from the 
light and the light from the darkness, and must taste the 
bitter as well as the sweet 7 237-238. 

What would we know about heaven or happiness were 
it not for their opposite? 3 '321. 

Let the Kingdom alone, the Lord steadies the ark ; and if 
it does jostle, and appear to need steadying, if the way is a 
little sideling sometimes, and to all appearance threatens 
its overthrow, be careful how you stretch forth your hands 
to steady it; let us not be too officious in meddling with 
that which does not concern us ; let it alone, it is the Lord's 
work. 11 -252. 

Every person who will examine his own experience — 
who will watch closely the leading of his own desires — will 
learn that the very great majority prefer to do good rather 
than to do evil, and would pursue a correct course, were 
it not for the evil power that subjects them to its sway. 



FREE AGENCY 103 

In wrong doing, their own consciences condemn them. 
6:330-331. 

Shall we deny the existence of that which we do not 
understand? If we do, we would want to keep an iron bed- 
stead to measure every person according to our own meas- 
urements and dimensions ; and if persons were too long we 
would cut them off, and if too short draw them out But 
we should discard this principle, and our motto should be, 
we will let every one believe as he pleases and follow out 
the convictions of his own mind, for all are free to choose 
or refuse ; they are free to serve God or to deny him We 
have the Scriptures of divine truth, and we are free to be- 
lieve or deny them. But we shall be brought to judgment 
before God for all these things, and shall have to give an 
account to him who has the right to call us to an account 
for the deeds done in the body. 14.131. 

There is not an individual upon the earth but what has 
within himself ability to save or to destroy himself; and 
such is the case with nations. 5 :53. 



CHAPTER VI 
THE POWER OF EVIL 

Lucifer — There was a devil in heaven, and he strove to 
possess the birthright of the Savior He was a liar from 
the beginning, and loves those who love and make lies, as 
do his imps and followers here on the earth 8 279-80. 

The spirits that were cast out of heaven, which you 
know are recorded to have been one-third part, were thrust 
down to this earth, and have been here all the time, with 
Lucifer, the Son of the Morning, at their head. 4-133. 

The spirits of devils have been deprived of bodies, and 
that constitutes their curse, that is to say, speaking after the 
manner of men, you shall be wanderers on the earth, you 
have got to live out of doors all the time you live. 

That is the situation of the spirits that were sent to the 
earth, when the revolt took place in heaven, when Lucifer, 
the Son of the Morning, was cast out. Where did he go ? 
He came here, and one-third part of the spirits in heaven 
came with him. Do you suppose that one-third part of all 
beings that existed in eternity came with him? No, but 
one-third part of the spirits that were begotten and organ- 
ized and brought forth to become tenants of fleshly bodies 
to dwell upon this earth. They forsook Jesus Christ, the 
rightful heir, and joined with Lucifer, the Son of the Morn- 
ing, and came to this earth; they got here first. As soon 
as Mother Eve made her appearance in the garden of Eden, 
the Devil was on hand. 3 :368-369. 

As it has always been, and will be yet for some time, 
when the sons of God assemble together Satan will be on 



THE POWER OF EVIL 105 

hand as an accuser of the brethren, to find fault with those 
who are trying to do good. 11 :141. 

The power of the Devil is limited ; the power of God is 
unlimited 3 .267. 

Who owns this earth ? Does the Devil? No, he does 
not, he pretended to own it when the Savior was here, and 
promised it all to him if he would fall down and worship 
him ; but he did not own a foot of land, he only had posses- 
sion of it. He was an intruder, and is still; this earth be- 
longs to him that framed and organized it, and it is ex- 
pressly for his glory and the possession of those who love 
and serve- him and keep his commandments; but the enemy 
has possession of it. 15 .5. 

If true principles are revealed from heaven to men, and 
if there are angels, and there is a possibility of their com- 
municating to the human family, always look for an oppo- 
site power, an evil power, to give manifestations also; look 
out for the counterfeit. 240. 

I frequently think of the difference between the power 
of God and the power of the Devil To illustrate, here is a 
structure in which we can be seated comfortably, protected 
from the heat of summer or the cold of winter. Now, it re- 
quired labor, mechanical skill and ingenuity and faithful- 
ness and diligence to erect this building, but any poor, 
miserable fool or devil can set fire to it and destroy it That 
is just what the Devil can do, .but he never can build any- 
thing The difference between God and the Devil is that 
God createsvand organizes, while the whole study of the 
Devil is to destroy. Every one that follows the evil inclina- 
tions of his own natural evil heart is going to destruction, 
and sooner or later he will be no more. I pray you Latter- 
day Saints to live your religion. 13 .4. 



106 DISCOURSES OF BKIGHAM YOUNG 

What, then, is the mission of Satan, that common foe of 
all the children of men? It is to destroy and make deso- 
late. 11-240. 

The Devil delights m the work of destruction-— to burn 
and lay waste and destroy the whole earth. He delights to 
convulse and throw into confusion the affairs of men, 
politically, religiously and morally, introducing war with 
its long train of dreadful consequences. It is evil which 
causeth all these miseries and all deformity to come upon 
the inhabitants of the earth But that which is of God is 
pure, lovely, holy and full of all excellency and truth, no 
matter where it is found, in hell, in heaven, upon the earth, 
or in the planets. 11 240. 

Every providence and dispensation of God to his earthly 
children tends directly to life and salvation, while the in- 
fluences and powers exerted by the enemy upon v mankind 
and every suggestion of our corrupt natures tends to death. 
10.221 

The adversary presents his principles and arguments in 
the most approved style, and in the most winning tone, at- 
tended with the most graceful attitudes; and he is very 
careful to ingratiate himself into the favor of the powerful 
and influential of mankind, uniting himself with popular 
parties, floating into offices of trust and emolument by 
pandering to popular feeling, though it should seriously 
wrong and oppress the innocent. 11 -238. 

Show me one principle that has originated by the power 
of the Devil You cannot do it I call evil inverted good, 
or a correct principle made an evil use of 3 157. 

The Devil's forces are particularly marshalled against 
us 5 -353 

You are aware that many think that the Devil has rule 



THE POWER OF EVIL 107 

and power over both body and spirit. Now, I want to tell 
you that he does not hold any power over man, only so far 
as the body overcomes the spirit that is in a man, through 
yielding to the spirit of evil. The spirit that the Lord puts 
into a tabernacle of flesh, is under the dictation of the Lord 
Almighty ; but the spirit and body are united in order that 
the spirit may have a tabernacle, and be exalted ; and the 
spirit is influenced by the body, and the body by the spirit 

In the first place the spirit is pure, and under the spe- 
cial control and influence of the Lord, but the body is of 
the earth, and is subject to the power of the Devil, and is 
under the mighty influence of that fallen nature that is of 
the earth If the spirit yields to the body, the Devil then 
has power to overcome the body and spirit of that man, 
and he loses both. 

Recollect, brethren and sisters, every one of you, that 
when evil is suggested to you, when it arises in your hearts, 
it is through the temporal organization. When you are 
tempted, buffeted, and step out of the way inadvertently; 
when you are overtaken in a fault, or commit an overt 
act unthinkingly; when you are full of evil passion, and 
wish to yield to it, then stop and let the spirit, which God 
has put into your tabernacles, take the lead If you do that, 
I will promise that you will overcome all evil, and obtain 
eternal lives. But many, very many, let the spirit yield to 
the body, and are overcome and destroyed 2 255. 

Evil is with us, it is that influence which tempts to sin, 
and which has been permitted to come into the world for the 
express purpose of giving us an opportunity of proving 
ourselves before God, before Jesus Christ, our Elder Brother, 
before the holy angels, and before all good men, that we are 
determined to overcome the evil, and cleave to the good, for 



108 DISCOURSES OF BRTGHAM YOUNG 

the Lord has given us the ability to do so Consequently, 
when the evil is present with me, I have a httle fighting to 
do, I must turn and combat it until it is eradicated from my 
affections, as well as from my actions, that I may have 
power to do all the good I wish to perform. Every person 
is capable of this, all can bridle their tongues, and cease 
from every evil act from this time henceforth and forever, 
and do good instead 1 91. 

There aie but two parties on the earth, one for God and 
the other for the world or the evil one No matter how 
many names the Christian or heathen world bear, or how 
many sects and creeds may exist, thereout tvf«v *n narties, 
one for heaven and God, and the other w) to s°^ ^^ ther 
kingdom than the celestial kingdom of I i#^?WT eartr 

Do not imagine that I am m the leastSniiding fault with 
the Devil. I would not bring a railing accusation against 
him, for he is fulfilling his office and calling manfully, he is 
more faithful m his calling than are many of the people. 
God is not ytt going to destroy wickedness from the earth 
How frequently we hear it reiterated from the pulpit that 
he is going to destroy all wickedness. No such thing He 
will destroy the power of sin The work the Savior has on 
hand is to reduce the power of the Devil to perfect subjec- 
tion; and when he has destroyed death and him that has 
the power of it, pertaining to this world, then he will de- 
liver up the kingdom spotless to the Father. 9*108. 

Cease to mingle with the wicked. Many of our Elders 
seem to believe that Christ and Baal can yet be made 
friends. How many times Elders of Israel try to make me 
fellowship the Devil, or his imps, or his servants, also try 
to make you fellowship your enemies, to amalgamate the 
feelings of the Saints and the ungodly ! It cannot be done ; 



THE POWER OF EVIL 109 

it never was done, and never can be accomplished. Christ 
and Baal never can be friends. One or the other must reign 
triumphantly on the earth, and I say that Jesus Christ shall 
reign, and I will help him; and Baal shall not reign here 
much longer — the Devil shall not have power much longer 
upon the land of Joseph. 8 :325-6. 

Who is the enemy of mankind? He who wishes to 
change truth for error and light for darkness; he who 
wishes to take peace from a family, city, state or nation and 
give the sword in return. He is my enemy, he is your 
enemy and the enemy of mankind. Who is the friend of 
mankind? He who makes peace between those who are 
at enmity, who brings together those who, perhaps, through 
some misunderstanding, have been at variance with and 
lost friendship and fellowship for each other, and shows 
them that their ill-will is without foundation and existed 
simply because they did not understand each other. 16 24. 

Who is your enemy and mine? He that teaches lan- 
guage that is unbecoming, that presents falsehood for 
truth, that furnishes false premises to build upon instead of 
true, or that is full of anger and mischief to his fellow 
beings. ' I call jo others enemies. 16:24. 

Can error live? No, it is the very plant of destruction, 
it destroys itself; it withers, it fades, it falls and decays 
and returns to its native element. Every untruth, all error, 
everything that is unholy, unlike God, will, in its time, 
perish. 14 :93. 

You need have no fear but the fear to offend God. 4.369. 

Who are the evildoers ? <Those who have had the light 
presented to them, and rejected it. 8:357. 

If we live so as to enjoy the spirit of the faith that we 



110 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

have embraced there is no danger of our being deceived 
14:157. 

The wicked cannot do anything against the truth Every 
move they make to crush the Kingdom of God will be at- 
tended with the signal blessings of the Almighty for its fur- 
ther extension and ultimate triumph All their efforts will 
result in the overthrow of sin and iniquity, and the in- 
crease of righteousness and the Kingdom of God upon the 
earth. 8.175. 

False Spirits — There are many spirits gone out into the 
world, and the false spirits are giving revelations as well as 
the Spirit of the Lord 3 44 

There are myriads of disembodied evil spirits — those 
who have long ago laid down their bodies here and in the 
regions round about, among and around us, and they are 
trying to make us and our children sick, and are trying to 
destroy us and to tempt us to evil They will try every 
possible means they are masters of to draw us aside from 
the path of righteousness 6 73-4. 

The children of men give heed to the deceiving spirits 
that are abroad, and that is the cause of the ten thousand 
errors, wrongs, sins and divisions which are in the world, 
and for this reason the multitude are unable to distinguish 
between the voice of the Good Shepherd and the voice of 
the stranger. 16 75. 

It was revealed to me in the commencement of this 
Church, that the Church would spread, prosper, grow and 
extend, and that in proportion to the spread of the Gospel 
among the nations of the earth, so would the power of 
Satan rise. It was told you here that Brother Joseph 
warned the Elders of Israel against false spirits. It was re- 
vealed to me that if the people did not receive the spirit of 



THE POWER OF EVIL HI 

revelation that God had sent for the salvation of the world, 
they would receive false spirits and would have revelation. 
Men would have revelation, women would have revelation, 
the priest in the pulpit and the deacon under the pulpit 
would have revelation, and the people would have revela- 
tion enough to damn the whole nation, and nations of them, 
unless they would hearken to the voice of God. It was not 
only revealed to Joseph but to your humble servant, that 
false spirits would be as prevalent and as common among 
the inhabitants of the earth as we now see them. 13 280 
No man gets power from God to raise disturbance in any 
Branch of the Church. Such power is obtained from an 
evil source. 9 :93. 

We may be within the pale of the Kingdom of God on 
earth, yet we are liable to be overcome of evih There are 
many spirits who have gone abroad in the world, and men 
are overcome by false spirits, and led astray from the path 
of truth They will begin by doing some evil thing out of 
sight, and say, "0, it is nothing, it is a mere trifle, and the 
Lord is merciful and forgiveth sin." The sins which are 
considered trifles lay the foundation for greater evils, and 
expose men to be tempted, and buffeted by Satan, and they 
will be overcome little by little, until by and by they are 
overtaken in a fault which is more aggravating in the sight 
of justice, which lays the foundation for another trial more 
severe, and to be buffeted more by the Devil, for they lay 
themselves more liable to his power. 2:121. 

Suppose I were to teach you a false doctrine, how are 
you to know it if you do not possess the Spirit of God? As 
it is written, "The things of God knoweth no man but by 
the Spirit of God." 18:72. 

Our doctrine is right— -there is no deception in it. It 



112 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

requires no argument, for it is a self-evident fact Still, 
when we meddle with that which we know nothing about, 
we are apt to fall into error and differ; but we have so much 
which we do know, and think about and talk about, that 
we have no time to speculate about that which we do not 
know. We know that God lives 10 327 

What is called spirit-rapping, spirit-knocking, and so 
forth, is produced by the spirits that the Lord has suffered 
to communicate to people on the earth, and make them be- 
lieve in revelation. 7 .239 

When we go into the world we find quite a portion of 
the people who belong to a.class called Spiritualists. They 
would like to have it considered that "Mormonism" is noth- 
ing but Spiritualism. A great many want to know the dif- 
ference between the two. I will give one feature of the 
difference, and then set the whole scientific world to work 
to see if they can ever bring to bear theN^^g^[e ~ffi 
Spiritualism Take all who are called SpintualHTand! s<**< 
if they can produce the order that is in the midst of thuj 
people. Here are system, order, organization, law, rule, and 
facts. Now see if they can produce any one of these fea- 
tures. They cannot. Why? Because their system is from 
beneath, while ours is perfect and is from above ; one is fiom 
God, the other is from the Devil, that is all the difference 
13.266. 

Spiritualism is a mass of confusion, it is a body without 
parts and passions, principle or power 13 266. 

There is evil in the world, and there is also good. Was 
there ever a counterfeit without a true coin? No Is there 
communication from God? Yes From holy angels ? Yes, 
and we have been proclaiming these facts during nearly 
thirty yeais. Are there any communications from evil 



THE POWER OF EVIL 113 

spirits? Yes; and the Devil is making the people believe 
very strongly in revelations from the spirit world. This is 
called Spiritualism, and it is said that thousands of spirits 
declare that "Mormonism" is true ; but what do that class 
of spirits know more than mortals? Perhaps a little more 
in some particulars than is known here, but it is only a 
little more. They are subject in the spirit world to the 
same powers they were subject to here 7.240 

Mesmerism is an inverted truth; it originated in holy, 
good and righteous principles, which have been inverted by 
the power of the Devil 3 :1S6 

The principle of animal magnetism is true, but wicked 
men use it to an evil purpose Speaking is a true gift, but 
I can speak to the glory of God, or to the injury of his 
cause and to my condemnation, as I please; and still the 
gift is of God. The gift of animal magnetism is a gift of 
God, but wicked men use it to promote the cause of the 
Devil, and that is precisely the difference 3 .370 

I know of many whom mesmerism has led out of this 
Church , they would see the sick healed, and attribute it to 
the power of God , would fall under its influence, embrace 
and practice it, and thus give the Devil power over them to 
lead them out of the Kingdom of God They could not tell 
whether it was the power of God or the power of the Devil 
What is the reason? They had not the light of revelation 
within them; they had not the knowledge of God. Are 
you not aware how easily we may be deceived? 3 .156 

There are many Elders m this house who, if I had the 
power to mesmerize that vase and make it dance on that 
table, would say that it was done by the power of God 
Who could tell whether it was done by the power of God 
or the power of the Devil? No person, unless he had the 



114 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

revelations of Jesus Christ within him. I suppose you are 
ready to ask Brother Brigham if he thinks the power of 
the Devil could make the vase dance. Yes, and could take 
it up and carry it out doors, just as easy as to turn up a 
table and move it here and there, or to cause a rap, rap, rap, 
or to bake and pass around pancakes, or to get hold of a 
person's hand, and make him write in every style you can 
think of, imitating George Washington's, Benjamin Frank- 
lin's, Joseph Smith's, and other autographs. Can you tell 
whether that is by the power of God or by the power of the 
Devil ? No, unless you have the revelations of Jesus Christ 
3 157. 

I have seen the effects of animal magnetism, or some 
anomalous sleep, or whatever it may be called, many a time 
m my youth. I have seen persons he on the benches, on 
the floor of the meeting house, or on the ground at their 
camp meetings, for ten, twenty, and thirty minutes, and I 
do not know but an hour, and not a particle of pulse about 
them. That was the effect of what I call animal magnet- 
ism; they called it the power of God, but no matter what 
it was, I used to think that I should like to ask such per- 
sons what they had seen in their trance or vision ; and when 
I got old enough and dared ask them, I did so. I have said 
to such persons . "Brother, what have you experienced ? " 
"Nothing." "What do you know more than before you had 
this, what do you call it — trance, sleep or dream? Do you 
know any more now than before you fell to the earth?" 
"Nothing more" "Have you seen any person?" "No." 
"Then what is the use or utility of your falling down here 
m the dirt?" I could not see it, and consequently I was an 
infidel to this But I said then as I say now — "Show me a 
church that God has organized, and yoti will find apostles 



THE POWER OF EVIL 115 

to rule, govern, control, dictate, and give counsel. You will 
find prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers, governments, 
helps, and diversities of tongues. When the Church and 
Kingdom of God is upon the earth you will find all these 
things and you will also hear prophesying therein 14-113 
Many people in this city do not know whether astrology 
is true or not, whether it is of God or the Devil , hence they 
are liable to be deceived, as is every person unless they have 
the power of revelation within themselves. If there are 
any brethren here who have been studying astrology, and 
they were called upon to speak, would they not say that 
they believed it to be a true science? They would; they 
testify that they know it to be true. But what does it do 
for them? It leads them into thousands of errors. Does 
God ever lead you into error ? Is he mistaken when he 
reveals? No; when he sets you to make calculations and 
figures, I will insure you that every sum will prove and 
come out precisely right. The Lord does not deceive peo- 
ple, but astrology and mesmerism do lead them astray. 
How many deceptions are there in the world ? Millions, for 
a great many spirits have gone forth into the world to de- 
ceive the people. Spirit rappings are of the same class 
3:156. 

Priestcraft— The priests are angry because they are 
afraid that their religion is nothing but a sandy founda- 
tioned fabric; and whenever they meditate upon the subject 
and humble themselves, and the Spirit of the Lord finds 
its way to their hearts and convicts them, the truth then is 
made manifest before them, and they begin to learn the 
falsity of their systems ; and when that spirit leaves them, 
they become angry. "Mormonism" is declared to be true 
by hosts of witnesses, and this makes the priests angry ; for 



116 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

this Gospel bears its own weight and testimony, and they 
know not how to gainsay it. True, I have aimed to point 
out their errors; but it is not you or me that they are op- 
posed to, although they throw their darts at us ; but it is 
the spirit of conviction that goes with the report of this 
work ; for wherever it goes it strikes conviction to the heart, 
and that is what disturbs the priests and the people. 5 :4-5 
Go to the United States, into Europe, or wherever you 
can come across men who have been in the midst of this 
people, and one will tell you that we are a poor, ignorant, 
deluded people; the next will tell you that we are the most 
industrious and intelligent people on the earth, and are 
destined to rise to eminence as a nation, and spread, and 
continue to spread, until we revolutionize the whole earth 
If you pass on to the third man, and inquire what he thinks 
of the "Mormons," he will say they are fools, duped and 
led astray by Joe Smith, who was a knave, and a false 
prophet, and a money digger. Why is all this? It is be- 
cause there is a spirit in man. And when the Gospel of 
Jesus Christ is preached on the earth, and the Kingdom of 
God is established, there is also a spirit in these things, and 
an almighty spirit too. When these two spirits come in 
contact one with the other, the spirit of the Gospel reflects 
light upon the spirit which God has placed in man, and 
wakes him up to a consciousness of his true state, which 
makes him afraid he will be condemned, for he perceives 
at once that "Mormonism" is true. "Our craft is in danger," 
is the first thought that strikes the wicked and dishonest 
of mankind, when the light of truth shines upon them Say 
they, "If these people called Latter-day Saints are correct 
in their views, the whole world must be wrong, and what 
will become of our time-honored institutions, and ojE our 



THE POWER OF EVIL 117 

influence, which we have swayed successfully over the 
minds of the people for ages. This Mormonism must be 
put down." So priestcraft presents a bold and extended 
front against the truth. 1 :188. 

It is not in my being called a Quaker, a Methodist or a 
"Mormon" that is the true cause of contention between 
these two great powers — Christ and Belial ; but it is in the 
fact that God has established his Kingdom upon the earth 
and restored the holy Priesthood which gives men author- 
ity and power to administer in his name. 11 :238. 

Instead of seeking unto the Lord for wisdom, they seek 
unto vain philosophy and the deceit and traditions of men, 
which are after the rudiments of the world and not after 
Christ. They are led by their own imaginations and by the 
dictates of their selfish will, which will lead them in the end 
to miss the object of their pursuit. 10:209. 

Sin and Wickedness — God permits sin," or it could not 
be here. 13:151. 

The law is for the transgressor. 15:161. 

All evil is from beneath, while all that is good is from 
God. 13:267. 

Aside from the revelations in our day, there is not 
knowledge enough to tell you why God suffered sin to come 
into the world. You have been told the reason why—that 
all intelligence must prove facts by their opposite. 6:144. 

I wish you to understand that sin is not an attribute in 
the nature of man, but it is an inversion of the attributes 
God has placed in him. Righteousness tends to an eternal 
duration of organized intelligence, while sin bringeth to 
pass their dissolution. 10:251. 

Sin has come into the world, and death by sin I fre- 
quently ask myself the question : Was there any necessity 



118 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

for sin to enter the world? Most assuredly there was, ac- 
cording to my understanding and reasoning powers Did 
I not know the evil I could never know the good ; had I not 
seen the light I should never be able to comprehend what 
darkness is Had I never tried to see and behold a thing 
in darkness I could not understand the beauty and glory 
of the light. If I had never tasted the bitter or the sour 
how could I define or describe the sweet? 13.59. 

The annoyances, difficulties, errors, perplexities, sor- 
rows, and troubles of this life, from first to last, are in con- 
sequence of sin being in the world. For me to say it is not 
right for sin to be in the world, or if we, as intelligent 
beings, come to the conclusion that sin entered the world 
by chance, through some mistake, and it was contrary to 
the design of him who created us, we should err. 14 98 

Let a Saint diverge from the path of truth and rectitude, 
m the least, no matter in what, it may be in a deal with his 
neighbor, in lusting after that which is not in his possession, 
in neglecting his duty, in having an over anxiety for some- 
thing he should not be anxious about, in being a little dis- 
trustful with regard to the providences of God, in enter- 
taining a misgiving in his heart and feeling with regard to 
the hand of the Lord towards him, and his mind will begin 
to be darkened 3 .222. 

The law of God is pointed against sin and iniquity, and 
where they appear it is unbending in its nature and must, 
sooner or later, hold sovereign rule against them, or righte- 
ousness could never prevail. 3 256. 

Paul asks, "Shall we sin that righteousness may 
abound?" No, there is plenty of sin without your sinning 
We can have all the experience we need, without sinning 
ourselves, therefore we will not sin that good may come, 



THE POWER OF EVIL 119 

we will not transgress the law of God that we may know 
the opposite. There is no necessity for such a course, for 
the world is full of transgression, and this people need not 
mingle up with it. 3 :224. 

It is as manly and as praiseworthy for an individual to 
make the choice to do good, work righteousness and love 
and serve God— it is more noble, than to choose the down- 
ward road. One or the other will be the choice of every in- 
dividual Do not trifle with evil, or you will be overcome 
by it before you know. 12:231, 

Many imbibe the idea that they are capable of leading 
out in teaching principles that never have been taught. 
They are not aware that the moment they give way to this 
hallucination the Devil has power over them to lead them 
onto unholy ground; though this is a lesson which they 
ought to have learned long ago, yet it is one that was 
learned by but few in the days of Joseph. 3 318. 

It is far better to die in a good cause than to live in a 
bad one; it is better to die doing good than to live doing 
evil. 11:134. 

Sin is in the world, but it is not necessary that we should 
sin, because sin is in the world ; but, to the contrary, it is 
necessary that we should resist sin, and for this purpose is 
sin necessary. Sin exists in all the eternities. Sin is co- 
eternal with righteousness, for it must needs be that there 
is an opposition in all things. 10:2 

Look at ourselves— run over our own experience, and 
we shall discover that ourselves, our neighbors, our friends, 
our acquaintances, and all people do not always know when 
they are happy. In other words, if you could crowd an 
individual or a community into heaven without experience, 
it would be no enjoyment to them They must know the 



120 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

opposite ; they must know how to contrast, in order to prize 
and appreciate the comfort and happiness, the joy and the 
bliss they are actually in possession of. 5.294 

There is a clear distinction made between the sinner and 
the ungodly. A person to be ungodly must have known 
godliness, and must have a knowledge of what the Lord re- 
quires concerning him. There are many in the midst of 
this people who believe the Gospel with all their hearts, 
but yet do wickedly ; this makes them ungodly. 2 258 

I would not associate with those who blaspheme the 
name of God, nor would I let my family associate with 
them. By this you may know whether you are in the path 
that leads to life and salvation If you can hear the name 
of the Deity lightly spoken of and blasphemed, and not be 
shocked at it, you may know that you are not in that path 
12 219-220 

Improvement belongs to the spirit and plan of the 
heavens. To improve in our minds, to increase in wisdom, 
knowledge and understanding, to gather every item of 
knowledge that we can in mechanism and in science of 
every description, respecting the earth, the object of the 
organization of the earth, the heavens, the heavenly bodies 
—all this is of Heaven, it is from God , but when a person 
or a people begin to dwindle, to lessen and to take the 
downward course, they are going from heaven and heavenly 
things 16 :65. 

Many of us have been taught the doctrine of total de- 
pravity—that man is not naturally inclined to do good. I 
am satisfied that he is more inclined to do right than to 
do wrong. There is a greater power within him to shun 
evil and perform good, than to do the opposite. 9 :247. 

The wickedness of the children of men is what influences 



THE POWER OF EVIL 121 

them to fear. They are not afraid of their own laws, be- 
cause they originated from themselves; they can manage 
them and blot them out of existence whenever they wish 
But when that which is said to be the Kingdom of God, or 
the theocracy of aeaven, is upon the earth, many of the in- 
habitants thereof tremble, and fear that it is not correct, 
7 148. 

How much does it take to prepare a man, or woman, or 
any being, to become angels to the Devil, to suffer with him 
to all eternity? Just as much, as it does to prepare a man 
to go into the celestial kingdom, into the presence of the 
Father and the Son, and to be made an heir to his King- 
dom, and all his glory, and be crowned with crowns of 
glory, immortality, and eternal lives. 3 '93. 

Let not your feelings be afflicted or in anywise trou- 
bled by the sayings and doings of the wicked, for they are 
in the hands of the Almighty, and he will dispose of indi- 
viduals and nations as seemeth him good. He must give 
them an opportunity to receive the truth and prepare 
themselves to dwell eternally with him, or to reject it and 
prepare themselves to be cut down as cumberers of the 
ground, suffer the wrath of the Almighty, and perish and 
be wasted away until they will be known no more Seek 
for that which will endure 7:270 

It is not right, I will say, for people to know the truth 
and live in disobedience to it; it is not right for them to 
understand the ways and providences of God as they are 
dealt out to the people on the earth, when they live and are 
determined to live in violation of every commandment and 
law of God; and because they do so live, ignorance covers 
them as with a mantle, shuts out the light of truth from 
them, and keeps them in darkness ; and if the light were to 



122 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

shine upon them, as it does now and as it did in the days 
of the Apostles, would they receive it? No, they would 
not. Light has come into the world, but the wicked choose 
darkness rather than light Why? It was told in days of 
old that their deeds were evil That is the fact today— 
"They choose darkness rather than light, because their 
deeds are evil," and their hearts are fully set in them to do 
evil 15-64. 

Let the wicked say what they please, for their breath is 
in their nostrils, and all their glory is like the grass and 
the flower of the grass that passeth away. They are here 
but for a moment, and soon those who know them now 
will know them no more for ever. They will soon be as 
though they had not been upon the earth 7*270 

The hand of the Almighty is over the wicked, and he 
handles them according to his good pleasure, as he does 
the Saints His hand is over us, and his hand is over them 
But there is a thick mist cast before their eyes, so they do 
not discern the truth of "Mormonism" Do you wonder 
that they are mad, when they see the progress of truth? I 
do not. 4 38. 

I never believed that the righteous have ever suffered as 
much as the wicked. 11 274 

The wicked do not know how to enjoy life, but the 
closer we live to God the better we know and understand 
how to enjoy it. Live so that you can enjoy the Spirit of 
the Lord continually. 10 .336. 

Temptation — I am happy, brethren, for the privilege of 
having temptation A great many people have thought 
that in my life I was not tempted like other men. I tell 
them if I am it is none of their business ; it is nothing to 
them Some say, "Brother Brigham, you slide along and 



'IUE POWER OF EVIL 123 

the Devil lets you alone " If I have battles' with him, I can 
overcome him single handed quicker than to call in my 
neighbors to help me. If I am tempted to speak an evil 
word, I will keep my lips locked together. Says one, "I do 
not know about that, that would be smothering up bad 
feelings, I am wonderfully tried about my neighbor, he has 
done wrong, he has abused me and I feel dreadful bad 
about it. Had I not better let it out than to keep it rankling 
withm me ?" No. I will keep bad feelings under and actu- 
ally smother them to death, then they are gone. But as sure 
as I let them out they will live and afflict me. If I smother 
them m myself, if I actually choke them to death, destroy 
the life, the power, and vigor thereof, they will pass off and 
leave me clear of fault, and pure, so far as that is con- 
cerned ; and no man or woman on earth knows that I have 
ever been tempted to indulge in wicked feelings. Keep 
them to yourselves 

If you feel evil, keep it to yourselves until you overcome 
that evil principle This is what I call resisting the Devil, 
and he flees from me. I strive not to speak evil, not to 
feel evil, and if I do, to keep it to myself until it is gone 
from me, and not let it pass my lips. 3 195. 

Thousands of temptations assail, and you make a miss 
here and a slip there, and say that you have not lived up 
to all the knowledge you have. True; but often it is a 
marvel to me that you have lived up to so much as you 
have, considering the power of the enemy upon the earth. 
Few that have ever lived have fully understood that power 
I do not fully comprehend the awful power and influence 
Satan has upon the earth, but I understand enough to know 
thai it is a marvel that the Latter-day Saints are as good as 
they are 8:285 



124 ^ DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

It is necessary m the very nature of things, in the econ- 
omy of heaven, that we should be tried and tempted in all 
things, in order to prove ourselves and prepare ourselves 
to enjoy that eternal life that is prepared for the just. The 
time will be when people will not be tempted as they now 
are — when there will be no Tempter upon the earth. The 
knowledge and intelligence that will be diffused among the 
people will enable them to live a time and a season without 
the Tempter. But we live in a day when the power and 
rule of that evil principle is more excessive upon the earth 
than it ever has been 7 268. 

When we neglect any one of these duties, the enemy 
says, f( I have made so much ground." If the Devil can in- 
duce an Elder to drink a little, he is not satisfied with this 
triumph, but says to him, "Your wife and children know it, 
don't pray tonight." The Elder says to his family, "I feel 
tired tonight, we won't have prayers " The enemy says, "I 
have gained another point " You indulge still further, and 
you will find other excuses. Your head is not right, your 
heart is not right, your conscience is not right, and you re- 
tire again without praying. By and by, you begin to doubt 
something the Lord has revealed to us, and it is not long 
before such a one is led away captive of the Devil. 18:216 

When you are tempted to do wrong, do not stop one 
moment -to argue, but tell Mr. Devil to walk out of your 
barn. 3:359. 

When the Devil cannot overcome an individual through 
temptation to commit wickedness, when he sees that a per- 
son is determined to walk in the line and travel straight 
forward into the celestial kingdom, he will adopt a course 
of flattery, will strive to exercise a pleasing influence and 
move along smoothly with him, and when he sees an oppor- 



THE POWER OF EVIL 125 

tunity he will try to turn him out of the way, if it is only to 
the extent of a hair's breadth. 3 :318. 

Do not suppose that we shall ever in the flesh be free 
from temptations to sin. Some suppose that they can in 
the flesh be sanctified, body and spirit, and become so pure 
that they will never again feel the effects of the power of 
the adversary of truth. Were it possible for a person to 
attain to this degree of perfection in the flesh, he could not 
die, neither remain in a world where sin predominates. Sin 
has entered into the world, and death by sin. I think we 
shall more or less feel the effects of sin so long as we live, 
and finally have to pass the ordeals of death. Do not under- 
stand that in the flesh we shall ever overcome the power of 
sin to such a degree that we shall never taste death. I do 
not look for any such thing, though what we call death, or 
laying down this body, is only the door to a higher state of 
life for the faithful. If we live our religion it will enable us 
to so overcome sin that it will not reign in our mortal 
bodies but will become subject to us, and the world and 
its fulness will become our servant instead of our master. 
10:173. 

As soon as a man hears the Gospel preached and be- 
comes convinced of its truthfulness, he is tempted of the 
Devil, who, whenever there is an opportunity, suggests 
doubt for his reflection. If he entertain these doubting in- 
fluences it is not long before what he believed true becomes 
a matter of conjecture. Another may receive the Gospel, 
travel and preach it faithfully, feeling in his heart to ex- 
claim, "Glory to God in the highest," having no other mo- 
tive than to do good to his fellow beings. By and by he 
perhaps is left to himself, saying— "I wonder if I really was 



126 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

right?" This single doubt is perhaps the beginning of his 
apostasy from the Church 18 215. 

Serve God according to the best knowledge you have, 
and lay down and sleep quietly , and when the Devil comes 
along and says, "You are not a very good Saint, you might 
enjoy greater blessings and more of the power of God, and 
have the vision of your mind opened, if you would live up 
to your privileges," tell him to leave, that you have long 
ago forsaken his ranks and enlisted in the army of Jesus, 
who is your captain, and that you want no more of the 
Devil 4 270 

When temptations come to you, be humble and faith- 
ful, and determined that you will overcome, and you will 
receive a deliverance, and continue faithful, having the 
promise of receiving blessings 16.164. 

Apostasy — It is most astonishing to every principle of 
intelligence that any man or woman will close their eyes 
upon eternal things after they have been made acquainted 
with them, and let the gay things of this world, the lusts of 
the eye, and the lusts of the flesh, entangle their minds and 
draw them one hair's breadth from the principles of life 
4:59 

If the candle of the Almighty does not shine from this 
place, you need not seek for light anywhere else 4*93. 

To know the truth of my testimony he must have the 
visions and revelations of God for himself. And when he 
gets them, and turns aside becoming a traitor to the cause 
of righteousness, the wrath of God will beat upon him, and 
the vengeance of the Almighty will be heavy upon him. 
2:140. 

It was said here this morning that no person ever apos- 
tatized, without actual transgression Omission of duty 



THE POWER OF EVIL 127 

leads to commission. We want to live so as to have the 
Spirit every day, every hour of the day, every minute of 
the day, and every Latter-day Saint is entitled to the Spirit 
of God, to the power of the Holy Ghost, to lead him m his 
individual duties, * 10-296. 

He will make false prophecies, yet he will do it by the 
spirit of prophecy; he will feel that he is a prophet and 
can prophesy, but he does it by another spirit and power 
than that which was given him of the Lord. He uses the 
gift as much as you and I use ours 3 364. 

Let a man or woman who has received much of the 
power of God, visions and revelations, turn away from the 
holy commandments of the Lord, and it seems that their 
senses are taken from them, their understanding and judg- 
ment in righteousness are taken away, they go into dark- 
ness, and become like a blind person who gropes by the 
wall. 2 301 

The person that forsakes the faith of our Lord Jesus 
Christ will find himself ruined for time and eternity. How 
are they looked upon who have received the Spirit of the 
Gospel and forsaken it? With a few exceptions, they 
are despised by the good and wise among men, by the noble 
and ignoble ; all despise them, and they are in a most miser- 
able condition. 7 146. 

Whenever there is a disposition manifested in any of 
the members of this Church to question the right of the 
President of the whole Church to direct in all things, you 
see manifested evidences of apostasy— of a spirit which, if 
encouraged, will lead to a separation from the Church and to 
final destruction; wherever there is a disposition to operate 
against any legally appointed .officer of this Kingdom, no 
matter in what capacity he is called to act, if persisted in, 



128 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

it will be followed by the same results, they will "walk 
after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise gov- 
ernment. Presumptuous are they, self-willed , they are not 
afraid to speak evil of dignities " 11 .136 

When a man begins to find fault, inquiring in regard to 
this, that, and the other, saying, "Does this or that look as 
though the Lord dictated it?" you may know that that per- 
son has more or less of the spirit of apostasy Every man 
in this Kingdom, or upon the face of the earth, who is seek- 
ing with all his heart to save himself, has as much to do as 
he can conveniently attend to, without calling in question 
that which does not belong to him. If he succeeds in sav- 
ing himself, it has well occupied his time and attention 
See to it that you are right yourselves; see that sins and 
folly do not manifest themselves with the rising sun. I 
repeat that it is as much as any one can well do to take care 
of himself by performing every duty that pertains to his 
temporal and eternal welfare 8*12. 

What is that which turns people away from this Church ? 
Very trifling affairs are generally the commencement of 
their divergence from the right path. If we follow a com- 
pass, the needle of which does not point correctly, a very 
slight deviation in the beginning will lead us, when we have 
traveled some distance, far to one side of the true point for 
which we are aiming. 12:125. 

When men lose the spirit of the work in which we are 
engaged, they become infidel in their feelings. They say 
that they do not know whether the Bible is true, whether 
the Book of Mt>rmon is true, nor about new revelations, nor 
whether there is a God or not. When they lose the spirit 
of this work, they lose the knowledge of the things of God 
in time and in eternity ; all is lost to them. 8 ,316. 



THE POWER OF EVIL 129 

Those who leave the Church are like a feather blown to 
and fro in the air. They know not whither they are going , 
they do not understand anything about their own exist- 
ence; their faith, judgment and the operation of their minds 
are as unstable as the movements of the feather floating in 
the air. We have not anything to cling to, only faith in 
the Gospel. 15.136. 

If the people would live their religion, there would be no 
apostasy and we would hear no complaining or fault- 
finding. If the people were hungry for the words of eternal 
life, and their whole souls even centered on the building up 
of the Kingdom of God, every heart and hand would be 
ready and willing and the work would move forward 
mightily and we would advance as we should do. 13:153. 

Men begin to apostatize by taking to themselves 
strength, by hearkening to the whisperings of the enemy 
who leads them astray little by little, until they gather to 
themselves that which they call the wisdom of man ; then 
they begin to depart from God, and their minds become con- 
fused. 18:231. 

You have known men who, while in the Church, were 
active, quick and full of intelligence; but after they have 
left the Church, they have become contracted in their under- 
standings, they have become darkened in their minds and 
everything has become a mystery to them, and in regard to 
the things of God, they have become like the rest of the 
world, who think, hope and pray that such and such things 
may be so, but they do not know the least about it. This is 
precisely the position of those who leave this Church ; they 
go into the dark, they are not able to judge, conceive or 
comprehend things as they are. They are like the drunken 
man — he thinks that everybody is the worse for liquor but 
himself, and he is the only sober man in the neighborhood 



130 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

The apostates think that everybody is wrong but them- 
selves. 16 :65. 

You hear many say, "I am a Latter-day Saint, and I 
never will apostatize" , "I am a Latter-day Saint, and shall 
be to the day of my death." I never make such declara- 
tions, and never shall I think I have learned ,that of my- 
self I have no power, but my system is organized to in- 
crease in wisdom, knowledge, and power, getting a little 
here and a little there. But when I am' left to myself, I 
have no power, and my wisdom is foolishness , then I cling 
close to the Lord, and I have power in his name. I think 
T have learned the Gospel so as to know, that in and of my- 
self I am nothing. 1 337. 

If you want to see the principle of devilism to perfec- 
tion, hunt among those who have once enjoyed the faith of 
the holy Gospel and then forsaken their religion We have 
the best and the worst. Why the worst? Because the 
Devil prompts men and women of the meanest and lowest 
grade to embrace the Gospel and get a foothold in the King- 
dom of God to destroy it. 7:145. 

People do, however, leave this Church, but they leave it 
because they get into darkness, and the very day they con- 
clude that there should be a democratic vote, or in other 
words, that we should have two candidates for the pre- 
siding Priesthood in the midst of the Latter-day Saints, 
they conclude to be apostates. There is no such thing as 
confusion, division, strife, animosity, hatred, malice, or two 
sides to the question in the house of God ; there is but one 
side to the question there. 14 :92. 

If the Saints neglect to pray, and violate the day that is 
set apart for the worship of God, they will lose his Spirit. 
If a man shall suffer himself to be overcome with anger, 
and curse and swear, taking the name of the Deity in vftin;. 



THE POWER OF EVIL 131 

he cannot retain the Holy Spirit. In short, if a man shall 
do anything which he knows to be wrong, and repenteth 
not, he cannot enjoy the Holy Spirit, but will walk in dark- 
ness and ultimately deny the faith. 11 :134. 

What have the Latter-day Saints got to apostatize from? 
Everything that there is good, pure, holy, God-like, exalting, 
ennobling, extending the ideas, the capacities of the intelli- 
gent beings that our Heavenly Father has brought forth 
upon this earth. What will they receive in exchange? I 
can comprehend it in a very few words. These would be 
the words that I should use : death, hell and the grave. That 
is what they will get in exchange. We may go into the 
particulars of that which they experience. They experi- 
ence darkness, ignorance, doubt, pain, sorrow, grief, mourn- 
ing, unhappiness ; no person to condole with in the hour 
of trouble, no arm to lean upon in the day of calamity, no 
eye to pity when they are forlorn and cast down; and I 
comprehend it by saying death, hell and the grave. This is 
what they will get in exchange for their apostasy from the 
Gospel of the Son of God. 16 :160. 

Why do people apostatize? You know we are on the 
"Old Ship Zion." We are in the midst of the ocean. A 
storm comes on, and, as sailors say, she labors very hard. 
"I am not going to stay here," says one; "I don't believe 
this is the 'Ship Zion.' " "But we are in the midst of the 
ocean." "I don't care, I am not going to stay here." Off 
goes the coat, and he jumps overboard. Will he not be 
drowned ? Yes. So with those who leave this Church. It 
is the "Old Ship Zion," let us stay in it. 10:295. 

Will there still be apostasy? Yes, brethren and sisters, 
you may expect that people will come into the Church arid 
then apostatize. You may expect that some people will run 
well for a season, and then fall out by the way. 2 :250. 



132 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

Many receive the Gospel because they know it is true , 
they are convinced in their judgment that it is true ; strong 
argument overpowers them, and they are rationally com- 
pelled to admit the Gospel to be true upon fair reasoning 
They yield to it, and obey its first principles, but never 
seek to be enlightened by the power of the Holy Ghost, 
such ones frequently step out of the way 2 -250. 

What has already become of those who, during our 
short existence as a Church, have come out against us, 
politically, judicially, or otherwise, those who have raised 
their puny arms to destroy the Kingdom of God from the 
earth! They have become powerless, like the dew before 
the rising sun ; they have vanished sway, their names are 
almost forgotten; and if this is not the case with all, it 
will be 18 232 

One of the first steps to apostasy is to find fault with 
your Bishop , and when that is done, unless repented of, a 
second step is soon taken, and by and by the person is cut 
off from the Church, and that is the end of it Will you 
allow yourselves to find fault with your Bishop? No; but 
come to me, go to the High Council, or to the President 
of the Stake, and ascertain whether your Bishop is doing 
wrong, before you find fault and suffer yourselves to speak 
against a presiding officer. 9.141. 

God is at the helm of this great ship, and that makes me 
feel good. When I think about the world, and the enemies 
of the cause of God, I care no more about them than I do 
for a parcel of mosquitoes All hell may howl, and they 
may run Up and down the earth and seek whom they may 
destroy, but they cannot move the faithful and pure in 
heart. Let those apostatize who wish to, but God will save 
all who are determined to be saved. 4 HI, 



CHAPTER VII 
THE LAW OF ETERNAL PROGRESSION 

Object of Mortal Life—This life is worth as much to 
us as any life in the eternities of the Gods. 9:170. 

The object of this existence is to learn, which we can 
only do a little at a time. 9:167. 

What are we here for? To learn to enjoy more, and to 
increase in knowledge and in experience. 14:228. 

The whole mortal existence of man is neither more nor 
less than a preparatory state given to finite beings, a space 
wherein they may improve themselves for a higher state of 
being. 1 :334. 

We are placed on this earth to prove whether we are 
worthy to go into the celestial world, the terrestrial, or the 
telestial, or to hell, or to any other kingdom, or place, and 
we have enough of life given us to do this. 4 .269. 

This is a world in which we are to prove ourselves. The 
lifetime of man is a day of trial, wherein we may prove to 
God, in our darkness, in our weakness, and where the enemy 
reigns, that we are our Father's friends, and that we receive 
light from him and are worthy to be leaders of our chil- 
dren — to become lords of lords, and kings of kings — to have 
perfect dominion over that portion of our families that 
will be crowned in the celestial kingdom with glory, im- 
mortality, and eternal lives. 8 .61. 

The first great principle that ought to occupy the at- 
tention of mankind, that should be understood by the child 
and the adult, and which is the main spring of all action, 
whether people understand it or not, is the principle of 



134 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

improvement. The principle of increase, of exaltation, of 
adding to that we already possess, is the grand moving 
principle and cause of the actions of the children of men 
No matter what their pursuits are, in what nation they were 
born, with what people they have been associated, what 
religion they profess, or what politics they hold, this is the 
main spring of the actions of the people, embracing all the 
powers necessary in performing the duties of life. 2:91. 

Man to Endure Forever— Hear it, all ye Latter-day 
Saints! Will you spend the time of your probation for 
naught, and fool away your existence and being? You 
were organized, and brought into being, for the purpose 
of enduring forever, if you fulfil the measure of your crea- 
tion, pursue the right path, observe the requirements of 
the celestial law, and obey the commandments of our God 
1 113 

We are urged by the Spirit to refrain from articles which 
tend to death, to preserve this life, which is the most pre- 
cious life given to mortal beings preparatory to an immortal 
life. It is our business to prepare to live here to do good 
Instead of crying to the people, prepare to die, our cry is, 
prepare to live forever. These mortal houses will drop off 
sometime, and when they are cleansed and purified, sancti- 
fied and glorified, we shall inherit them again forever and 
ever. Let all the Saints pursue a course to live. 12 .209. 

Mankind, in general, do not stop to reflect, they are 
pressing headlong to grasp the whole world if possible, 
each individual is for himself, and he is ignorant of the 
design the Almighty had in his creation and existence in 
this life. To obtain a knowledge of this design is a duty 
obligatory upon all the sons and daughters of Adam. 1 .334. 

The Business of Life— The only business that we have 



LAW OF ETERNAL PROGRESSION 135 

on hand is to build up the Kingdom of God and prepare the 
way of the Son of Man. 5 :230. 

We are here to live, to spread intelligence and knowledge 
among the people I am here to school my brethren, to 
teach my family the way of life, to propagate my species, 
and to live, if in my power, until sin, iniquity, corruption, 
hell, and the Devil, and all classes and grades of abomina- 
tions are driven from the earth. That is my religion and the 
object of my existence. We are not here merely to prepare 
to die, and then die, but we are here to live and build up 
the Kingdom of God on the earth— to promote the Priest- 
hood, overcome the powers of Satan, and teach the children 
of man what they are created for— that in them is con- 
cealed the germ of all intelligence Here is the starting- 
point— the foundation that is laid in the organization of man 
for receiving a fulness of eternal knowledge and glory 
Are we to go yonder to obtain it? No, we are to promote 
it on this earth. 8*282. 

Human beings are expected by their Creator to be 
actively employed in doing good every day of their lives, 
either in improving their own mental and physical condition 
or that of their neighbors. 9 -190 

The purpose of our life should be to build up the Zion of 
our God, to gather the House of Israel, bring m the fulness 
of the Gentiles, restore and bless the earth with our ability 
and make it as the Garden of Eden, store up treasures of 
knowledge and wisdom in our own understandings, purify 
our own hearts and prepare a people to meet the Lord 
when he comes. 10-222. 

Some say that "this is a miserable world, I do not care 
how soon I get through." Weil, go and destroy yourselves, 
if you choose, you have all the opportunity that you can 



136 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

desire, there is plenty of arsenic, calomel, and other means, 
within your reach. But I would not give a cent for such 
persons ; I do not delight in such characters, and I do not 
believe that the Lord delights in people who wish to die 
before they have accomplished the work that he designed 
for them to do 2-270-271 

The Latter-day Saints throughout the valleys in these 
mountains and throughout the world ought to be learning 
what they are on this earth for They are here to increase 
and multiply, to enlarge, to gather the House of Israel, re- 
deem Zion, build up the Zion of our God, and to promote 
that eternal intelligence that dwells with the Gods, and 
begin to plant it in this earth, and make it take root down- 
ward and bring forth fruit upward to the glory of God, 
until every obnoxious principle in the hearts of men is 
destroyed, and the earth returns to its paradisical state, 
and the Lord comes and dwells with this people, and walks 
and talks with them as he did with Father Adam. That is 
our business, and not to suffer all our energies to be ex* 
pended in merely preparing to die 8 '282 

It may appear strange to some of you, and it certainly 
does to the world, to say it is possible for a man or woman 
to become perfect on this earth. It is written "Be ye there- 
fore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is 
perfect " Again, "If any man offend not in word, the same 
is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body " 
This is perfectly consistent to the person who understands 
what perfection really is. 

If the first passage I have quoted is not worded to our 
understanding, we can alter the phraseology of the sentence, 
and say, "Be ye as perfect as ye can," for that is all we can 
do, though it is written, be ye perfect as your Father who is 



LAW OF ETERNAL PROGRESSION 137 

in heaven is perfect. He cannot be any more perfect than 
he knows how, any more than we. When we are doing as 
well as we know how in the sphere and station which we 
occupy here, we are justified in the justice, righteousness, 
mercy, and judgment that go before the Lord of heaven and 
earth. We are as justified as the angels who are before the 
throne of God. The sin that will cleav to all the posterity 
of Adam and Eve is, that they have not done as well as 
they knew how. 2 :129. 

When we use the term perfection, it applies to man in 
his present condition, as well as to heavenly beings. We 
are now, or may be, as perfect in our sphere as God and 
angels are in theirs, but the greatest intelligence in ex- 
istence can continually ascend to greater heights of perfec- 
tion. 1 :93. 

Prepare to Live — Instead of preparing to die, prepare 
to live in the midst of all the exaltations of the Gods. 9 :291. 

We are organized for the express purpose of controlling 
the elements, of organizing and disorganizing, of ruling over 
kingdoms, principalities, and powers, and yet our affections 
are often too highly placed upon paltry, perishable objects. 
We love houses, gold, silver, and various kinds of property, 
and all who unduly prize any object there is beneath the 
celestial world are idolators. 3 :257. 

But so long as we willingly hold fellowship with that 
which tends to death and destruction, we cannot progress 
as we should in the work of perfection in ourselves, nor in 
building up and beautifying Zion. 9 :284. 

It is our privilege to say, every day in our lives, "That 
is the best day I ever lived." Never let a day so pass that 
you will have cause to say, "I will live better to-morrow/' 
and I will promise you, in the name of the Lord Jesus, that 



138 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

your lives will be as a well of water springing up to ever- 
lasting life. You will have his Spirit to dwell in you con- 
tinually, and your eyes will be open to see, your ears to 
hear, and your understandings to comprehend. 8 :140. 

He gives a little to his humble followers today, and if 
they improve upon it, tomorrow he will give them a little 
more, and the next day a little more. He does not add to 
that which they do not improve upon, but they are required 
to continually improve upon the knowledge they already 
possess, and thus obtain a store of wisdom. It is plain, 
then, that we may receive the truth, and know, through 
every portion of the soul, that the Gospel is the power of 
God unto salvation ; that it is the way to life eternal ; still 
there may be added to this, more power, wisdom, knowl- 
edge, and understanding, 2:2. 

Eternal Increase— This people must go forward, or they 
will go backward. 16*165 

This work is a progressive work, this doctrine that is 
taught the Latter-day Saints in its nature is exalting, in- 
creasing, expanding and extending broader and broader 
until we can know as we are known, see as we are seen 
16-165 

Unless this work is in progress as a whole, it is not com- 
plete—we are found wanting, and not prepared to do the 
work we are called and sent to do. 6 .267. 

Ignorant? Yes, we are ignorant; but we are on the high 
road to that eternal knowledge that fills the bosoms of the 
Gods in eternity. 7 .4. 

We can still improve, we are made for that purpose, 
our capacities are organized to expand until we can receive 
into our comprehension celestial knowledge and wisdom, 
and to continue, worlds without end. 1 *92 



LAW OF ETERNAL PROGRESSION 139 

Shall we ever be learning and never be able to come to a 
knowledge of the truth? No, I say we shall not; but we 
shall come to the knowledge of the truth. This is my hope 
and anticipation, and this is my joy. 18.237. 

We are in the school and keep learning, and we do not 
expect to cease learning while we live on earth ; and when 
we pass through the veil, we expect still to continue to 
learn and increase ur fund of information. That may ap- 
pear a strange idea to some; but it is for the plain and 
simple reason that we are not capacitated to receive all 
knowledge at once. We must therefore receive a little 
here and a little there. 6:286. 

We have the principle within us, and so has every being 
on this earth, to increase and to continue to increase, to 
enlarge, and receive and treasure up truth, until we become 
perfect. It is wisdom for us to be the friends of God ; and 
unless we are filled with integrity and preserve ourselves in 
our integrity before our God, we actually lay the founda- 
tion for our destruction. 5-54. 

If we are saved, we are happy, we are filled with light, 
glory, intelligence, and we pursue a course to enjoy the 
blessings that the Lord has in store for us. If we continue 
to pursue that course, it produces just the thing we want, 
that is, to be saved at this present moment. And this will 
lay the foundation to be saved forever and forever, which 
will amount to an eternal salvation. 1:131. 

Can mortal beings live so that they are worthy of the 
society of angels? I can answer the question for myself— 
I believe that they can; I am sure that they can. But in 
doing this, they must subdue the sin that is within them- 
selves, correct every influence that arises within their own 
hearts that is opposed to the sanctifying influences of the 



140 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

grace of God, and purify themselves by their faith and by 
their conduct, so that they are worthy. Then they are pre- 
pared for the society of angels. To be Saints indeed re- 
quires every wrong influence that is within them, as in- 
dividuals, to be subdued, until every evil desire is eradicated, 
and every feeling of their hearts is brought into subjection 
to the will of Christ. 19 66 

We ought not to speak lightly of and undervalue the life 
we now enjoy, but so dispose of each passing day that the 
hours and minutes are spent in doing good, or at least doing 
no harm, in making ourselves useful, in improving our 
talents and abilities to do more good, cultivating the prin- 
ciple of kindness to every being pertaining to our earthly 
sphere, learning their uses and how to apply them to pro- 
duce the greatest possible amount of good, learning to 
conduct ourselves towards our families and friends in a 
way to win the love and confidence of the good, and over- 
come every ungovernable passion by a constant practice of 
cool judgment and deliberate thoughts. 9*291. 

Because of the weakness of human nature, it must crum- 
ble to the dust. But in all the revolutions and changes in 
the existence of men, in the eternal world which they in- 
habit, and in the knowledge they have obtained as people 
on the earth, there is no such, thing as principle, power, 
wisdom, knowledge, life, position, or anything that can 
be imagined, that remains stationary — they must increase 
or decrease. 1 :350 

Take the history of this Church from the commence- 
ment, and we have proved that we cannot receive all the 
Lord has for us. We have proved to the heavens and to 
one another that we are not yet capacitated to receive all 
the Lord has for us, and that we have not yet a disposition 



LAW OF ETERNAL PROGRESSION 141 

to receive all he has for us. Can you understand that there 
is a time you can receive, and there is a time you cannot 
receive, a time when there is no place in the heart to re- 
ceive? The heart of man will be closed up, the will will 
be set against this and that, that we have opportunity to 
receive. There is an abundance the Lord has for the 
people, if they would receive it. 10.291 

To me, life is increase; death is the opposite. 1:350. 

Do you think that we are always going to remain the 
same size? I am not a stereotyped Latter-day Saint, and 
do not believe in the doctrine. Every year the Elders of 
Israel are improving and learning, and have more power, 
more influence with the Heavens, more power over the 
elements, and over diseases, and over the power of Satan, 
who has ruled this earth from the days of the fall until now. 
We have to gain power until we break the chain of the 
enemy. Are we going to stand still? Away with stereo- 
typed "Mormons/' I have more power than I had last 
year. I feel much stronger than ever before, and that too 
in the power of God ; and I feel as though I could take the 
people and bring them into the presence of God, if they only 
hearken to counsel. Do you think that I am improving? 
"Yes." Keep up, then ; keep your places, and follow in the 
track. 8:185. 

We are privileged, in a spiritual point of view, precisely 
as we are in a temporal point of view. We have the 
privilege of learning and adding to the knowledge we have 
already obtained. We have a knowledge, for instance, of 
the rudiments of the English language. If we continue in 
our studies — in our exertions to acquire information, we 
obtain more knowledge; and if we continue still to per- 



142 DISCOUBSES OF BRJGHAM YOUNG 

severe, we add still more to that, until we are perfect mas- 
ters of the language. 

Again, with regard to mechanism, in a certain sense, the 
same principle will hold good We have the privilege of 
learning the arts and sciences that the learned among the 
Gentile nations understand , we have the privilege of becom- 
ing classical scholars—of commencing with the rudiments 
of all knowledge— of entering into the academies, we might 
say, of perfection. We might study, and add knowledge to 
knowledge, from the time that we are capable of knowing 
anything until we go down to the grave If we enjoyed 
healthy bodies, so as not to wear upon the functions of the 
mind, there is no end to a man's learning. This compares 
precisely with our situation pertaining to heavenly things. 
6 283-284. 

But simply to take the path pointed out in the Gospel 
by those who have given us the plan of salvation, is to take 
the path that leads to life, to eternal increase; it is to pur- 
sue that course wherein we shall never, never lose what we 
obtain, but continue to collect, to gather together, to in- 
crease, to spread abroad, and extend to an endless duration 
Those persons who strive to gain eternal life, gam that 
which will produce the increase their hearts will be satis- 
fied with. Nothing less than the privilege of increasing 
eternally, in every sense of the word, can satisfy the im- 
mortal spirit. If the endless stream of knowledge from the 
eternal fountain could all be drunk m by organized in- 
telligences, so sure immortality would come to an end, and 
all eternity be thrown upon the retrograde path. 1 .350 

There is one principle that I wish the people 
would understand and lay to heart Just as fast 
as you will prove before your God that you are 



LAW OF E1ERNAL PROGRESSION 143 

worthy to receive the mysteries, if you please to 
call them so, of the Kingdom of heaven— that you 
are full of confidence in God — that you will never betray 
a thing that God tells you— that you will never reveal to 
your neighbor that which ought not to be revealed, as 
quick as you prepare to be entrusted with the things of 
God, there is an eternity of them to bestow upon you In- 
stead of pleading with the Lord to bestow more upon you, 
plead with yourselves to have confidence m yourselves, to 
have integrity in yourselves, and know when to speak and 
what to speak, what to reveal, and how to carry yourselves 
and walk before the Lord. And just as fast as you prove to 
him that you will preserve eveiy thing secret that ought 
to be— that you will deal out to your neighbors all which 
you ought, and no more, and learn how to dispense your 
knowledge to your families, friends, neighbors, and breth- 
ren, the Lord will bestow upon you, and give to you, and 
bestow upon you, until finally he will say to you, "You shall 
never fall , your salvation is sealed unto you , you are sealed 
up unto eternal life and salvation, through your integrity." 
4 371. 

Life is an accumulation of every property and principle 
that is calculated to enrich, to ennoble, to enlarge, and to 
increase, in every particular, the dominion of individual 
man To me, life would signify an extension I have the 
privilege of spreading abroad, of enlarging my borders, of 
increasing in endless knowledge, wisdom, and power, and 
in every gift* of God. To live as I am, without progress, 
is not life, in fact we may say that is impossible. There 
is no such principle in existence, neither can there be. 
You may explore all the eternities that have been, were it 



144 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

possible, then come to that which we now understand 
according to the principles of natural philosophy, and where 
is there an element, an individual living thing, an organized 
body, of whatever nature, that continues as it is? It cannot 
be found. All things that have come within the bounds of 
man's limited knowledge—the things he naturally unler- 
stands, teach him that there is no period, in all the eter- 
nities, wherein organized existence will become stationary, 
that it cannot advance in knowledge, wisdom, power, and 
glory. 

If a man could ever arrive at the point that would put 
an end to the accumulation of life — the point at which he 
could increase no more, and advance no further, we should 
naturally say he commenced to decrease at the same point. 
Again, when he has gained the zenith of knowledge, wis- 
dom, and power, it is the point at which he begins to retro- 
grade , his natural abilities will begin to contract, and so he 
will continue to decrease, until all he knew is lost in the 
chaos of forgetfulness. As we understand naturally, this is 
the conclusion we must come to, if a termination to the in- 
crease of life and the acquisition of knowledge is true 1 :349. 

The knowledge we now have in our possession is suf- 
ficient to guide and direct us step by step, day by day, until 
we are made perfect before the Lord our Father. 8:167. 

Can you not live it for one hour? Begin at a small 
point ; can you not live to the Lord for one minute ? Yes. 
Then can we not multiply that by sixty and make an hour, 
and live that hour to the Lord? Yes; and then for a day, 
a week, a month, and a year? Then, when the year is past, 
it has been spent most satisfactorily. 8 ,59-60. 

There are great and glorious things yet to be revealed. 



LAW OF ETERNAL PROGRESSION 145 

We are but babes and sucklings in the knowledge of God 
and godliness. With all we know and understand by the 
Priesthood here in the midst of this people, we are mere 
infants before the angels in heaven 8 203. 

I will apply my heart to wisdom, and ask the Lord to 
impart it to me; and if I know but little, I will improve 
upon it, that to-morrow I may have more, and thus grow 
from day to day, m the knowledge of the truth, as Jesus 
Christ grew in stature and knowledge from a babe to man- 
hood 1 -313 

This principle is inherent in the organization of all in- 
telligent beings, so that we are capable of receiving, and 
receiving, and receiving from the inexhaustible fountain 
of knowledge and truth. 3:354 

It is enough for me to know that mankind are made to 
improve themselves All creation, visible and invisible, is the 
workmanship of our God, the supreme Architect and Ruler 
of the whole, who organized the world, and created every 
living thing upon it, to act in its sphere and order. To this 
end has he ordained all things to increase and multiply. 
The Lord God Almighty has decreed this principle to be 
the great, governing law of existence, and for that purpose 
are we formed Furthermore, if men can understand and 
receive it, mankind are organized to receive intelligence 
until they become perfect in the sphere they are appointed 
to fill, which is far ahead of us at present 1 .92. 

A time when there was no God, no eternity 1 It cannot 
be possible, and the philosopher who tries to establish such 
a doctrine cannot possess any correct ideas of his own 
being. Will there ever be such a time? No. But forever 
onward and upward 19:50. 

Knowledge increases among this people; they know 



146 - DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

more of the things of the Kingdom of God to-day than they 
did in the days of Joseph Smith. 10 .222. 

If a person suffers his feelings to rise above the natural 
level of his capacity, they will sink in the same ratio. 8 '32. 

Blessings are Proportioned to Our Capacity — We are 
prepared for some things, and we receive just as fast as 
we prepare ourselves. 15:4. 

The heart of man is incapable of fully comprehending 
the blessings that God has in store for the faithful, unless 
he has revealed those blessings to them by the revelations 
of his Spirit. The natural man is contracted in his feelings, 
in his views, faith and desires, and so are the Saints, unless 
they live their religion. 8:188. 

Some might suppose that it would be a great blessing 
to be taken and carried directly into heaven and there set 
down, but in reality that would be no blessing to such 
persons ; they could not reap a full reward, could not enjoy 
the glory of the kingdom, and could not comprehend and 
abide the light thereof, but it would be to them a hell in- 
tolerable and I suppose would consume them much quicker 
than would hell fire. It would be no blessing to you to be 
carried into the celestial kingdom, and obliged to stay 
therein, unless you were prepared to dwell there. 3.221. 

A man who has had his mind opened to the operation of 
the Priesthood of the Son of God — who understands any- 
thing of the government of heaven, must understand that 
finite beings are not capable of receiving and abiding the 
celestial law in its fulness. When can you abide a celestial 
law? When you become a celestial being, and never until 
then. 7:143. 



CHAPTER VIII 
THE DESTINY OF MAN 

The Gift of Eternal Life— This is the greatest gift that 
can be conferred on intelligent beings, to live forever and 
never be destroyed. 8:261. 

It is written that the greatest gift God can bestow upon 
man is the gift of eternal life. The greatest 'attainment that 
we can reach is to preserve our identity to an eternal dura- 
tion in the midst of the heavenly hosts. We have the words 
of eternal life given to us through the Gospel, which, if we 
obey, will secure unto us that precious gift. 8 .7. 

Suppose it possible that you have the privilege of secur- 
ing to yourselves eternal life — to live and enjoy these 
blessings for ever ; you will say this is the greatest blessing 
that can be bestowed upon you, to live forever and enjoy 
the society of wives, children, and children's children, to a 
thousand generations, and forever; and also the society of 
brethren, sisters, neighbors, and associates, and to possess 
all you can ask for to make you happy and comfortable 
What blessing is equal to this ? What blessing is equal to 
the continuation of life — to the continuation of our organ- 
ization ? 8 :63. 

The intelligence that is in me to cease to exist is a horrid 
thought ; it is past enduring. This intelligence must exist ; 
it must dwell somewhere. If I take the right course and 
preserve it in its organization, I will preserve to myself 
eternal life. 5 .53. 

Never serve God because you are afraid of hell ; but live 
your religion, because it is calculated to give you eternal 



148 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

life. It points to that existence that never ends, while the 
other course leads to destruction. 5 340. 

I am for life everlasting. I have a being and a life here , 
and this life is very valuable, it is a most excellent life' I 
have a future! I am living for another existence that is 
far above this smful world, wherein I will be free from this 
darkness, sin, error, ignorance and unbelief I am looking 
forward to a world filled with light and intelligence, where 
men and women will live in the knowledge and light of 
God. 13 220. • 

I tell you that if we strive with all our powers, by-and- 
by the time will come that we will be Saints indeed. I have 
not said that we are Saints We are trying to be, and we 
profess to have the keys that will lead us in the path of 
eternal life, 6.46. 

Understand eternity? There is not and never was a 
man in finite flesh who understands it. Enoch has been 
referred to in this matter How many of the Gods and 
kingdoms he saw when the vision of his mind was opened, 
matters not If he had seen more than he could have 
enumerated throughout his long life, and more than all the 
men on earth could multiply from the time his vision 
opened until now, he would not have attained to the com- 
prehension of eternity. How much Enoch saw, how many 
worlds he saw, has nothing to do with the case. This is 
a matter that wise men know nothing about. 8 17 

We are going to have the Kingdom of God in the ful- 
ness thereof, and all the heights and depths of glory, power, 
and knowledge , and we shall have fathers and mothers, and 
wives and children 8 178 

Eternal Increase — Whenever we get into the Kingdom 
of Heaven, where God and Christ dwell, we shall find some- 



HIE DESTINY OF MAN 149 

thing more to do than to "sit and sing ourselves away to 
everlasting bliss." The mind of man is active, and we must 
have exercise and amusement for the mmd as well as the 
body. 12.313. 

Now understand, to choose life is to choose principles 
that will lead you to an eternal increase, and nothing shcrt 
of them will produce life in the resurrection for the faithful. 
Those that choose death, make choice of the path which 
leads to the end of their organization. The one leads to 
endless increase and progression, the other to the destruc- 
tion. 1 352. 

If men are faithful, the time will come when they will 
possess the power and the knowledge to obtain, organize, 
bring into existence, and own "What, of themselves, in- 
dependent of their Creator?" No But they and their 
Creator will always be one, they will always be of one heart 
and of one mmd, working and operating together; for what- 
soever the Father doeth so doeth the Son, and so they 
continue throughout all their operations to all eternity. 
2*304. 

The Lord has blessed us with the ability to enjoy an 
eternal life with the Gods, and this is pronounced the great- 
est gift of God The gift of eternal life, without a posterity, 
to become an angel, is one of the greatest gifts that can be 
bestowed; yet the Lord has bestowed on us the privilege 
of becoming fathers of lives. What is a father of lives as 
mentioned in the Scriptures? A man who has a posterity 
to an eternal continuance. That is the blessing Abraham 
received, and it perfectly satisfied his soul. He obtained 
the promise that he should be the father of lives 8 63 

I expect, if I am faithful, with yourselves, that I shall 
see the time, with yourselves, that we shall know how to 



150 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

prepare to organize an earth like this— know how to people 
that earth, how to redeem it, how to sanctify it, and how to 
glorify it, with those who live upon it who hearken to our 
counsels. 6 274-5 

The faithful will become Gods, even the sons of God; 
but this does not overthrow the idea that we have a father. 
6:275 

After men have got their exaltations and their crowns- 
have become Gods, even the sons of God— are made kings 
of kings and lords of lords, they have the power then of 
propagating their species m spirit Power is then given to 
them to organize the elements, and then commence the or- 
ganization of tabernacles. 6 275. 

The Father and the Son have attained to this point 
already; I am on the way, and so are you, and every 
faithful servant of God. 6*275. 

The Celestial World— If we keep the celestial law when 
our spirits go to God who gave them, we shall find that 
we are acquainted there and distinctly realize that we know 
all about that world. 4 .218. 

When you are qualified and purified, so that you can 
endure the glory of eternity, so that you can see your 
Father, and your friends who have gone behind the veil, you 
will fall upon their necks and kiss them, as we do an earthly 
friend that has been long absent from us, and that we have 
been anxiously desiring to see 4 .55. 

When you see celestial bemgs, you will see men and 
women, but you will see those beings clothed upon with 
robes of celestial purity. We cannot bear the presence of 
our Father now ; and we are placed at a distance to prove 
whether we will honor these tabernacles, whether we will 
be obedient and prepare ourselves to live m the glory of 



THE DESTINY OF MAN 151 

the light, privileges, and blessings of celestial beings. We 
could not have the glory and the light without first know- 
ing the contrast. Do you comprehend that we could have 
no exaltation, without first learning by contrast? 4.54. 

Opposition to Death— We are striving for eternal life, 
and are opposed to those who love and have the power of 
death. We have the influence and the power of life, and 
that necessarily brings us m opposition to those who prefer 
the principles of death. 7 56. 

We are not in opposition to anything in earth or hell, 
except the principle of death. God has introduced life, 
and it is the principle of life that we are after The power 
of the enemy is 'all the time trying to destroy this life, and I 
am opposed to that power. 7 '56. 

The principle opposite to that of eternal increase 
is that the person decreases, loses his knowledge, tact, 
talent, and ultimately, in a short period of time, is lost, 
But where, Oh! where is his spirit? I will not 
now take the time to follow his destiny; but here, 
strong language could be used, for when the Lord Jesus 
Christ shall be revealed, after the termination of the thou- 
sand years' rest, he will summon the armies of heaven for 
the conflict, he will come forth in flaming fire, he will 
descend to execute the mandates of an incensed God, and, 
amid the thunderings of the wrath of Omnipotence, roll up 
the heavens as a scroll, and destroy death, and him that has 
the power of it. 1 :118. 

Mankind have forfeited the right they once possessed to 
the friendship of their Heavenly Father, and through sin 
have exposed themselves to misery and wretchedness. Who 
is to bring back to the sin-stained millions of earth that 
which they have lost through disobedience? Who is to 



152 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

plant smiling peace and plenty where war and desolation 
reign? Who is to remove the curse and its consequences 
from earth — the homestead of mankind? Who shall say- 
to the raging and contending elements, "Peace, be still", 
and extract the poison from the reptile's tooth, and the 
savage and destructive nature from beast and creepinj 
thing? 

Who placed the dark stain of sin upon this fair creation ? 
Man. Who but man shall remove the foul blot, and restore 
all things to their primeval purity and innocence? But can 
he do this independent of heavenly aid? He can not. To 
aid him in this work heavenly grace is here , heavenly wis- 
dom, power, and help are here, and God's laws and ordi- 
nances are here; the angels and spirits of just men made 
perfect are here; Jesus Christ, our Great High Priest, with 
Prophets, Apostles, and Saints, ancient and modern, are 
here to help man in the great work of sanctifying himself 
and the earth for final glorification in its paradisical state. 
All this will be accomplished through the law of the holy 
Priesthood 10.301. 



CHAPTER IX 
DISPENSATIONS OF THE GOSPEL 

The Earth— The world and all its various grades of 
organized denizens, from the lowest forms of vegetable or 
animal life, up to man, the lord of creation, were framed 
and made, or they would not have been here. 14.41 : 

It is said in this book (the Bible) that God made the 
earth in six days. This is a mere term, but it matters not 
whether it took six days, six months, six years, or six thou- 
sand years. The creation occupied certain periods of time. 
We are not authorized to say what the duration of these 
days was, whether Moses penned these words as we have 
them, or whether the translators of the Bible have given 
the words their intended meaning. However, God created 
the world. God brought forth material out of which he 
formed this little terra firma upon which we roam. How 
long had this material been in existence? Forever and for- 
ever, in some shape, in some condition. We need not re- 
fer to all of those who were with God, and who assisted 
him in this work. The elements form and develop, and con- 
tinue to do so until they mature, and then they commence 
to decay and become disorganized. The mountains around 
us were formed in this way. By and by, when they shall 
have reached their maturity, the work of disintegration and 
decay will commence. It has been so from all eternity, and 
will continue to be so until they are made celestial. 18 :231. 

This earth is brought together and organized from 
native elements as we now behold it, our tabernacles in- 
cluded. The matter of which all animate and inanimate 
existence is formed is from all eternity, and it must remain 



154 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

to all eternity, without beginning and without end There 
are certain portions of this native element that will be re- 
fined and prepared to enter into the celestial kingdom — into 
the celestial family of the celestial world. If the spirit 
honors the body and the body honors the spirit while they 
are here united, the particles of matter that compose the 
mortal tabernacle will be resurrected and brought forth 
to immortality and eternal life, but it cannot be brought 
forth and made immortal, except it undergoes a change, 
for "dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return " What 
for? To prepare the body to be made immortal and fitted 
to dwell in the presence of the Gods. 8 27. 

We shall go and come ; and when we are in the eternity, 
we shall be on this earth, which will be brought into the 
immediate presence of the Father and the Son. We shall 
inhabit different mansions, and worlds will continue to be 
made, formed, and organized, and messengers from this 
earth will be sent to others. This earth will become a 
celestial body — be like a sea of glass, or like a Urim and 
Thummim , and when you wish to know anything, you can 
look in this earth and see all the eternities of God. We 
shall make our home here, and go on our missions as we do 
now, but at greater than railroad speed. 8 200. 

We are for the Kingdom of God, and not going to the 
moon, nor to any other planet pertaining to this solar sys- 
tem, but are determined to have a heaven here, and are 
going to make it ourselves, by the help of God and his 
angels. We have been traditionated that when we were 
prepared to be saved, we ought then to pass from this stage 
of existence, and that then we never would have anything 
more to do with this earth ; for all our connections and as- 
sociations with it, as pertaining to this life, also passed 



DISPENSATIONS OP THE GOSPEL 155 

away, and we should see and know nothing about it in the 
future. This is not according to the design, as we believe, 
of God and his providences and works It is not the work 
of the Lord to organize an earth and destroy it That is 
not the system he has devised His plan is to organize an 
earth, people it with intelligent beings, present to them the 
principles of eternal life, and bestow upon them the keys 
thereof, that they may be able to prepare themselves to 
dwell to all eternity, and to bring forth their increase to 
dwell with them This is our belief 8 293 

The animal, vegetable, and mineral kingdoms abide the 
law of their Creator; the whole earth and all things per- 
taining to it, except man, abide the law of their creation. 
9 246. 

The earth is organized for a glorious resurrection 1 274. 

But the earth will not be utterly destroyed; the ele- 
ments of which it is composed will not be annihilated, but 
they will be changed. Neither shall those be consumed who 
can abide the day of the Lord Almighty, and stand in his 
presence The earth in that great day will be renovated — 
cleansed from wickedness — purified from dross, sanctified, 
and prepared for the habitation of the Saints of the Most 
High. 2 124. 

The earth is very good in and of itself, and has abided 
a celestial law, consequently we should not despise it, nor 
desire to leave it, but rather desire and strive to obey the 
same law that the earth abides, and abide it as honorably as 
does the earth. 2.302-303. 

The earth will abide its creation, and will be counted 
worthy of receiving the blessings designed for it, and will 
ultimately roll back into the presence of God who formed 
it and established its mineral, vegetable, and animal king- 



156 DISCOURSES OF BSIGHAM YOUNG 

doms. These will all be retained upon the earth, come forth 
in the resurrection, and abide for ever and for ever 8 8, 
This earth in its present condition and situation, is not 
a fit habitation for the sanctified ; but it abides the law of 
its creation, has been baptized with water, will be baptized 
by fire and the Holy Ghost, and by-and-by will be prepared 
for the faithful to dwell upon. 8 ;83. 

Adam and Eve— Mankind is composed of two distinct 
elements ; the first is a spiritual organization in eternity, the 
second is a natural organization on this earth, formed out 
of the material of which this earth is composed. Man is 
first spiritual, then temporal. 

These spirits I shall leave for the present, and refer to 
our first parents, Adam and Eve, who were found in the 
Garden of Eden, tempted and overcome by the power of 
evil, and consequently subject to evil and sin, which was 
the penalty of their transgression They were now pre- 
pared, as we are, to form bodies or tabernacles for the re- 
ception of pure and holy spirits. 18 .257. 

When Father Adam came to assist in organizing the 
earth out of the crude material that was found, an earth 
was made upon which the children of men could live. After 
the earth was prepared Father Adam came and stayed here, 
and there was a woman brought to him There was a cer- 
tain woman brought to Father Adam whose name was Eve, 
because she was the first woman, and she was given to him 
to be his wife. 16:167. 

When Moses wrote and said that man was formed pre- 
cisely in the image of God he wrote the truth. We are the 
children of our Father — his offspring, of the same family ; 
we belong to him by birthright, and we are his children 



DISPENSATIONS OF THE GOSPEL 157 

and Jesus is our brother Does the Bible tell all this ? Just 
as plain as words can tell anything, 14 280. 

In the beginning after this earth was prepared for man, 
the Lord commenced his work upon what is now called the 
American continent, where the Garden of Eden was made. 
In the days of Noah, in the days of the floating of the ark, 
he took the people to another part of the earth; the earth 
was divided, and there he set up his kingdom. 8 195. 

The human family are' formed after the image of our 
Father and God After the earth was organized the Lord 
placed his children upon it, gave them possession of it, 
and told them that it was their home — the place of their 
habitation from thenceforth ; he told them to till the ground 
and subdue it , he gave it to them for their inheritance, and 
to do their will upon it. Then Satan steps in and over- 
comes them through the weakness there was in the chil- 
dren of the Father when they were sent to the earth, and 
sin was brought in, and thus we are subjected to sin 10 300 

Some may regret that our first parents sinned This is 
nonsense If we had been there, and they had not sinned, 
we should have sinned. I will not blame Adam or Eve. 
Why? Because it was necessary that sin should enter into 
the world; no man could ever understand the principle of 
exaltation without its opposite; no one could ever receive 
an exaltation without being acquainted with its opposite 
How did Adam and Eve sin ? Did they come out in direct 
opposition to God and to his government? No But they 
transgressed a command of the Lord, and through that 
transgression sin came into the world. The Lord knew 
they would do this, and he had designed that they should 
Then came the curse upon the fruit, upon the vegetables, 
and upon our mother earth ; and it came upon the creeping 



158 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

things, upon the grain in the field, the fish in the sea, and 
upon all things pertaining to this earth, through man's 
transgression. 10 312 

Mother Eve partook of the forbidden fruit. We should 
not have been here to-day if she had not, we could never 
have possessed wisdom and intelligence if she had not done 
it It was all in the economy of heaven, and we need not 
talk about it , it is all right. We should never blame Mother 
Eve, not the least I am thankful to God that I know good 
from evil, the bitter from the sweet, the things of God from 
the things not of God When I look at the economy of 
heaven my heart leaps for joy, and if I had the tongue of an 
angel, or the tongues of the whole human family combined, 
I would praise God in the highest for his great wisdom 
and condescension in suffering the children of men to fall 
into the very sin into which they had fallen, for he did it 
that they, like Jesus, might descend below all things and 
then press forward and rise above all. 13:145 

The Devil had truth in his mouth as well as lies when 
he came to Mother Eve Said he, "If you will eat of the 
fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, you will see 
as the Gods see." That was just as true as anything that 
ever was spoken on the face of the earth She did eat, her 
eyes were opened, and she saw good and evil. She gave of 
the fruit to her husband, and he ate, too What would 
have been the consequence if he had not done so? They 
would have been separated, and where would we have been ? 
I am glad he did eat 12:70. 

We are safe in saying that from the day that Adam was 
created and placed in the Garden of Eden to this day, the 
plan of salvation and the revelations of the will of God to 
man are unchanged, although mankind have not for many 



DISPENSATIONS OF THE GOSPEL 159 

ages been favored therewith, in consequence of apostasy 
and wickedness There is no evidence to be found in the 
Bible that the Gospel should be one thing in the days of 
the Israelites, another in the days of Christ and his Apos- 
tles, and another in the 19th century, but, on the contrary, 
we are instructed that God is the same m every age, and 
that his plan of saving his children is the same The plan 
of salvation is one, from the beginning of the world to the 
end thereof. 10-324 

I wish you all to understand "Mormonism" as it is. We 
embraced it in different parts of the world, because we con- 
sidered it the best religion we could find. Can we tell how 
much better "Mormonism" is than other religions and isms 
of the present day ? More or less truth may be found in 
them all, both in civilized and barbarous nations How 
has it transpired that theological truth is thus so widely 
disseminated? It is because God was once known on the 
earth among his children of mankind, as we know one 
another Adam was as conversant with his Father who 
placed him upon this earth as we are conversant with our 
earthly parents The Father frequently came to visit his 
son Adam, and talked and walked with him; and the chil- 
dren of Adam were more or less acquainted with him, and 
the things that pertain to God and to heaven were as 
familiar among mankind in the first ages of their existence 
on the earth, as these mountains are to our mountain boys, 
as our gardens are to our wives and children, or as tV road 
to the Western Ocean is to the experienced traveler. From 
this source mankind have received their religious tradi- 
tions. 9.148. 

The Gospel was among the children of men from the 
days of Adam until the coming of the Messiah ; this Gospel 



160 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

of Christ is from the beginning to the end. Then why was 
the law of Moses given? In consequence of the disobedi- 
ence of the Children of Israel, the elect of God , the very seed 
that he had selected to be his people, and upon whom he 
said he would place his name This seed of Abraham so 
rebelled against him and his commands that the Lord 
said to Moses, "I will give you a law which shall be a 
schoolmaster to bring them to Christ" But this law is 
grievous , it is a law of carnal commandments. 13 .269. 

Cain conversed with his God every day, and knew all 
about the plan of creating this earth, for his father told 
him But, for the want of humility, and through jealousy, 
and an anxiety to possess the kingdom, and to have the 
whole of it under his own control, and not allow anybody 
else the right to say one word, what did he do? He killed 
his brother Then the Lord put a mark on him 2 '142-143 

Here let me state to all philosophers of every class upon 
the earth, when you tell me that Father Adam was made 
as we make adobes from the earth, you tell me what I 
deem an idle tale. When you tell me that the beasts of 
the field were produced in that manner, you are speaking 
idle words devoid of meaning. There is no such thing in 
all the eternities where the Gods dwell. Mankind are here 
because they are the offspring of parents who were first 
brought here from another planet, and power was given 
them to propagate their species, and they were commanded 
to multiply and replenish the earth. 7*285-6. 

We all belong to the races which have sprung from 
Father Adam and Mother Eve , and every son and daughter 
of that God we serve, who organized this earth and millions 
of others, and who holds them in existence by law. 14 111. 

There are no persons without evil passions to embitter 



DISPENSATIONS OF THE GOSPEL 161 

their lives Mankind are revengeful, passionate, hateful, 
and devilish in their dispositions. This we inherit through 
the fall, and the grace of God is designed to enable us to 
overcome it. The grace of God is bestowed upon all, and 
the Kingdom of God is planted on the earth expressly to 
enable mankind to overcome the evil that is in them, and 
to save all. 8.160. 

It is true mankind have wandered and have fallen from 
that which they might have attained through the redemp- 
tion made by Jesus Christ; but there is one point in connec- 
tion with this statement on which I differ from the orthodox 
divines of the day. They say that man is naturally prone 
to evil In some respects this is true, where by the force of 
example and wrong tradition has become ingrained, but if 
man had always been permitted to follow the instincts of 
his nature, had he always followed the great and holy 
principles of his organism, they would have led him into the 
path of life everlasting, which the whole human family are 
constantly trying to find. 10:189. 

Enoch to Moses — The Lord sent forth his Gospel to the 
people ; he said, I will give it to my son Adam, from whom 
Methuselah received it; and Noah received from Methuse- 
lah ; and Melchizedek administered to Abraham. 3 .94. 

Enoch possessed intelligence and wisdom from God that 
few men ever enjoyed, walking and talking with God for 
many years ; yet, according to the history written by Moses, 
he was a great length of time in establishing his kingdom 
among men. The few that followed him enjoyed the ful- 
ness of the Gospel, and the rest of the world rejected it. 
Enoch and his party were taken from the earth, and the 
world continued to ripen in iniquity until they were over- 
thrown by the great flood in the days of Noah ; and, "as it 



162 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

was in the days of Noah, so shall it be in the days of the 
coming of the Son of Man/' 9.365. 

Enoch had to talk with and teach his people during 
a period of three hundred and sixty years, before he could 
get them prepared to enter into their rest, and then he 
obtained power to translate himself and his people, with 
the region they inhabited, their houses, gardens, fields, 
cattle and all their possessions. 3 '320. 

Abraham was faithful to the true God, he overthrew 
the idols of his father and obtained the Priesthood after the 
order of Melchizedek, which is after the order of the Son 
of God, and a promise that of the increase of his seed there 
should be no end, when you obtain the holy Priesthood, 
which is after the order of Melchizedek, sealed upon you, 
and the promise that your seed shall be numerous as the 
stars in the firmament, or as the sands upon the sea shore, 
and of your increase there shall be no end, you have then 
got the promise of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and all the 
blessings that were conferred upon them 11:118 

If they had been sanctified and holy, the Children of 
Israel would not have traveled one year with Moses before 
they would have received their endowments and the Mel- 
chizedek Priesthood. 6.100 

Mankind have degenerated; they have lost the physical 
and mental power they once possessed. In many points 
pertaining to mechanism, men have m modern times been 
instructed by revelation to them, and this mechanical 
knowledge causes them almost to boast against their 
Creator, and to set themselves up as competitors with the 
Lord Almighty, notwithstanding they have produced noth- 
ing but what has been revealed to them. In the knowledge 
of astronomical and other philosophical truths, which our 



DISPENSATIONS OF THE GOSPEL 163 

modern great men are searching after and pride themselves 
in, they are but babes, compared with the ancient fathers. 
Do the wise men of modern ages understand the laws which 
govern the worlds that are, that were, and that are to come ? 
They cannot fathom this matter. They have grown weaker 
when they ought to have grown stronger and wiser. 8:61. 

Jesus on Earth — It was necessary for Jesus Christ to 
open the heavens to certain individuals that they might be 
witnesses of his personage, death, sufferings, and resurrec- 
tion ; those men were witnesses. But as Jesus appeared to 
the two brethren going out of Jerusalem, he was made 
known to them in the breaking of bread. Now suppose he 
had eaten that bread, and gone out without opening their 
eyes, how could they have known that he was the Savior 
who had been crucified on Mount Calvary? They could 
not ; but in the breaking of bread the vision of their minds 
was opened. This was necessary in order to constitute 
safe witnesses, and they returned to Jerusalem and told the 
brethren what they had seen. 3 ;208. 

When we come to discriminate between the former and 
the Latter-day Saints we shall find there was a little dif- 
ference in their callings and duties, and in many points 
that we may say pertain to our temporal lives. Not in the 
doctrine of baptism, the laying on of hands for the recep- 
tion of the Holy Ghost, nor in the gifts of the Gospel. 
There is no difference in these things, but there is a dif- 
ference in regard to the temporal duties devolving upon 
us. 12:67. 

The Apostasy— In the early days of the Christian 
Church we understand that there was a good deal of specu- 
lation among its members with regard to their belief and 
practice, and the propagation of these speculative ideas 



164 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

created divisions and schisms. Even in the days of the 
Apostles there was evidently considerable division, for we 
read that some were for Paul, some for Apollos, and others 
for Cephas. The people in those days had their favorites, 
who taught them peculiar doctrines not generally received 
and promulgated. 12 64. 

Why have they wandered so far from the path of truth 
and rectitude? Because they left the Priesthood and have 
had no guide, no leader, no means of finding out what is 
true and what is not true. It is said the Priesthood was 
taken from the Church, but it is not so, the Church went 
from the Priesthood and continued to travel in the wilder- 
ness, turned from the commandments of the Lord, and 
instituted other ordinances. 12.69. 

You can read the account given of our first parents 
Along came a certain character and said to Eve, you know 
women are of tender heart; and he could operate on this 
tender heart, "The Lord knows that in the day thou eatest 
thereof thou shalt not surely die, but if thou wilt take of 
this fruit and eat thereof thine eyes will be opened and thou 
wilt see as the Gods see" ; and he worked upon the tender 
heart of Mother Eve until she partook of the fruit, and her 
eyes were opened. He told the truth. And they say now, 
"Do this that your eyes may be opened, that you may see , 
do this that you may know thus and so." In the days of 
Jesus and his Apostles the same power was operating, and, 
actuated by that, men hunted them until the last one was 
banished from human society, and until the Christian re- 
ligion was so perverted that the people received it with open 
hands, arms, mouth and heart. It was adulterated until it 
was congenial to the wicked heart, and they received the 
Gospel as they supposed. But that was the time they com- 



DISPENSATIONS OF THE GOSPEL 165 

menced little by little to trangress the laws, change the 
ordinances, and break the everlasting covenant, and the 
Gospel of the kingdom that Jesus undertook to establish in 
his day and the priesthood were taken from the earth 
15.126. 

The land of Judea has fallen into disrepute, and it has 
become a desert, just through the apostasy of those who 
once inhabited it, who had the oracles of God among them 
16 66. 

The Restoration — Generations have come and gone 
without the privilege of hearing the sound of the Gospel, 
which has come to you through Joseph Smith — that was 
revealed to him from heaven by angels and visions We 
have the Gospel and the keys of the holy Priesthood. 7:173. 

We are a people whose rise and progress from the be- 
ginning, has been the work of God our Heavenly Father, 
which in his wisdom he has seen proper to commence for 
the re-establishment of his Kingdom upon the earth. 2*170 

Do you think the Lord Almighty will reveal the great 
improvements in the arts and sciences which are being 
constantly made known and will not revive a pure religion? 
If any man imagines that with the mighty strides which the 
sciences have been making for a few years past, there will 
be no improvement in religion, that man is vain in his im- 
agination. God will improve the religion of the nations of 
the earth in proportion to the improvement made in the 
sciences. This is true whether you believe it or not The 
Lord has commenced the work, and it is a marvelous one 
12-325. 

It was decreed in the counsels of eternity, long before 
the foundations of the earth were laid, that he, Joseph 
Smith, should be the man, in the last dispensation of this 



166 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUKG 

world, to bring forth the word of God to the people, and 
receive the fulness of the keys and power of the Priesthood 
of the Son of God The Lord had his eyes upon him, and 
upon his father, and upon his father's father, and upon their 
progenitors clear back to Abraham, and from Abraham to 
the flood, from the flood to Enoch, and from Enoch to 
Adam. He has watched that family and that blood as it 
has circulated from its fountain to the birth of that man. 
He was fore-ordained in eternity to preside over this last 
dispensation 7 289, 

But as it was in the days of our Savior, so was it in 
the advent of this new dispensation. It was not in ac- 
cordance with the notions, traditions, and pre-conceived 
ideas of the American people The messenger did not come 
to an eminent divine of any of the so-called orthodoxy, he 
did not adopt their interpretation of the Holy Scriptures. 
The Lord did not come with the armies of heaven in power 
and great glory, nor send his messengers panoplied with 
aught else than the truth of heaven, to communicate to the 
meek, the lowly, the youth of humble origin, the sincere 
enquirer after the knowledge of God But he did send his 
angel to this same obscure person, Joseph Smith, Jr who 
afterwards became a Prophet, Seer, and Revelator, and in- 
formed him that he should not join any of the religious 
sects of the day, for they were all wrong; that they were 
following the precepts of men instead of the Lord Jesus, 
that he had a work for him to perform, inasmuch as he 
should prove faithful before him. 

No sooner was this made known, and published abroad, 
and people began to listen and obey the heavenly summons, 
than opposition began to rage, and the people, even m this 
favored land, began to persecute their neighbors and friends 



DISPENSATIONS OF THE GOSPEL 167 

for entertaining religious opinions differing from their own. 
2 171. 

You may remember it and lay it to heart, and if you 
wish, write it in your journals that some of the best spirits 
that have ever been sent to earth are coming at the present 
time. 1M17. 

The beginning of this dispensation of the fulness of 
times may well be compared to the commencement of a 
temple, the material of which it is to be built being still 
scattered, unshaped and unpolished, m J a state of nature. 
I am thankful that the way is being prepared, and that we 
have the privilege of erecting a spiritual and 'moral super- 
structure—a temple of God. 12 161 

The Book of Mormon— There is not another nation 
under heaven, in who'se midst the Book of Mormon 
could have been brought forth. The Lord has been oper- 
ating for centuries to prepare the way for the coming forth 
of the contents of that Book from the bowels of the earth, 
to be published to the world, to show to the inhabitants 
thereof that he still lives, and that he will, in the latter days, 
gather his elect from the four corners of the earth It was 
the Lord who directed the discovery of this land to the na- 
tions of the Old World, and its settlement, and the war for 
independence, and the final victory of the colonies, and the 
unprecedented prosperity of the American nation, up to 
the calling of Joseph the Prophet. The Lord has dictated 
and directed the whole of this, for the bringing forth, and 
establishing of his Kingdom in the last days. 11 17. 

Here is the Book of Mormon. We believe it contains 
the history of the aborigines of our continent, just as the 
Old Testament contains the history of the Jewish nation 
In that book we learn that Jesus visited this continent, de- 



168 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

livered his Gospel and ordained Twelve Apostles. We be- 
lieve all this, but we do not ask you to believe it. What we 
do ask is that you will believe what is recorded in the Holy 
Bible concerning God and his revelations to the children 
of men. Do this in all honesty and sincerity, then you will 
know that the Book of Mormon is true. Your minds will 
be opened and you will know by the visions of the Spirit 
of God that we teach the truth. 13 33$. 

I was somewhat acquainted with the coming forth of 
the Book of Mormon, not only through what I read in the 
newspapers, but I also heard a great many stories and re- 
ports which were circulated as quick as the Book of Mor- 
mon was printed, and began to be scattered abroad. Then 
the spirit of persecution, the spirit of death, the spirit of 
destruction immediately seemed to enter the hearts of the 
pious priests more particularly than any other portion of 
the people; they could not bear it 2 249 

What did Oliver Cowdery (one of the three witnesses 
to the Book of Mormon) say, after he had been away from 
the Church years and years? lie saw and conversed with 
the angel, who showed him the plates, and he handled them 
He left the Church because he lost the love of the truth , 
and after he had traveled alone for years, a gentleman 
walked into his law office and said to him, "Mr Cowdery, 
what do you think of the Book of Mormon now? Do you 
believe that it is true?" He replied, "No, sir, I do not!" 
"Well," said the gentleman, "I thought as much ; for I con- 
cluded that you had seen the folly of your ways and had 
resolved to renounce what you once declared to be true." 
"Sir, you mistake me; I do not believe that the Book of 
Mormon is true; I am past belief on that point, for I 
know that it is true, as well as I know that you now sit 



DISPENSATIONS OF THE GOSPEL 169 

before me." "Do you still testify that you saw an angel?" 
"Yes, as much as I see you now ; and I know the Book of 
Mormon to be true." Yet he forsook it. Every honest 
person who has fairly heard it knows that "Mormonism" is 
true, if they have had the testimony of it ; but to practice it 
in our lives is another thing. 7.55. 



CHAPTER X 
THE LAST DAYS 

Confusion of the Last Days — The time is coming when 
a good man will be more precious than fine gold. 10:295. 

The sinner will slay the sinner, the wicked will fall upon 
the wicked, until there is an utter overthrow and consump- 
tion upon the face of the whole earth, until God reigns, 
whose right it is. 2 .190. 

The world is drunk, but not with wine or strong drink ; 
and our country is the most drunken of all. They are de- 
luding themselves; they are drunk with party fanaticism; 
they are high-minded, heady, and senseless, and are fast 
going to destruction. 

Thinking men, inquiring minds, ask whether it is really 
necessary for the Government of God to be on the earth 
at the present day; I answer, most assuredly; there never 
was a time when it was more needed than it is now. Why ? 
Because men do not know how to govern themselves with- 
out it. Would it be considered treason of any Christian 
government in our day to profess to believe in the Lord 
Jesus Christ, and in the efficacy of his death and resurrec- 
tion for the salvation of man, and to profess and declare 
that it is his inalienable, indisputable right and prerogative 
to reign over men, the earth and all things upon it? 10:320. 

If we live, we shall see the nations of the earth arrayed 
against this people; for that time must come, in fulfilment 
of prophecy. Tell about war commencing ! Bitter and re- 
lentless war was waged against Joseph Smith before he had 
received the plates of the Book of Mormon ; and from that 
time till now the wicked have only fallen back at times to 



THE LAST DAYS 171 

gain strength and learn how to attack the Kingdom of God 
5 339. 

All we have yet heard and all we have experienced is 
scarcely a preface to the sermon that is going to be 
preached- When the testimony of the Elders ceases to be 
given, and the Lord says to them, "Come home ; I will now 
preach my own sermons to the nations of the earth," all you 
now know can scarcely be called a preface to the sermon 
that will be preached with fire and sword, tempests, earth- 
quakes, hail, rain, thunders and lightnings, and fearful 
destruction What matters the destruction of a few railway 
cars ? You will hear of magnificient cities, now idolized by 
the people, sinking in the earth, entombing the inhabitants. 
The sea will heave itself beyond its bounds, engulfing 
mighty cities. Famine will spread over the nations and 
nation will rise up against nation, kingdom against king- 
dom and states against states, in our own country and in 
foreign lands , and they will destroy each other, caring not 
for the blood and lives of their neighbors, of their families, 
or for their own lives 8:123. 

There never has been a day for ages and ages, not since 
the true church was destroyed after the days of the 
Apostles, that required the faith and the energy of godly 
men and godly women, and the skill, wisdom and power of 
the Almighty to be with them, so much as this people re- 
quire it at the present time There never was that neces- 
sity ; there never has been a time on the face of the earth, 
from the time that the church went to destruction, and the 
Priesthood was taken from the earth, that the powers of 
darkness and the powers of earth and hell were so embit- 
tered, and enraged, and incensed against God and Godliness 
on the earth, as they are at the present And when the 



172 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

spirit of persecution, the spirit of hatred, of wrath, and 
malice ceases in the world against this people, it will be the 
time that this people have apostatized and joined hands 
with the wicked, and never until then, which I pray may 
never come 4*326. 

The Devil is just as much opposed to Jesus now as he 
was when the revolt took place in heaven And as the Devil 
increases his numbers by getting the people to be wicked, 
so Jesus Christ increases his numbers and strength by 
getting the people to be humble and righteous. The human 
family are going to the polls by and by, and they wish to 
know which party is going to carry the day. 4 38 

Ultimate Triumph of Righteousness—I most assuredly 
expect that the time will come when every tongue shall 
confess, and every knee shall bow to the Savior, though the 
people may believe what they will with regard to religion. 
2.189 

The Savior will dictate his Kingdom, through his 
Apostles and Prophets, until all the heathen nations are 
virtually redeemed by the ordinances that effect redemp- 
tion, that they may inherit the kingdom that is prepared for 
them. 8 83. 

This is a day of days, and a time of times } this is the ful- 
ness of times, in which all things that are in Christ are to 
be gathered in one. This is a momentous period. 10 .308. 

I expect to see the time when the inhabitants of the 
earth will pride themselves in doing good. 8 .363. 

The time will come when every knee will bow, and every 
tongue confess to and acknowledge him, and when they 
who have lived upon the earth and have spurned the idea 
of a Supreme Being and of revelations from him, will fall 
with shamefacedness and humble themselves before him, 



THE LAST DAYS 173 

exclaiming, "There is a God' God, we once rejected thee 
and disbelieved thy word and set at naught thy counsels, 
but now we bow down m shame and we do acknowledge 
that there is a God, and that Jesus is the Christ" This 
time will come, most assuredly. We have the faith of the 
Gospel of the Lord Jesus 13 306 

What will they do? They will hear of the wisdom of 
Zion and the kings and potentates of the nations will come 
up to Zion to inquire after the ways of the Lord, and to 
seek out the great knowledge, wisdom and understanding 
manifested through the Saints of the Most High. They 
will inform the people of God that they belong to such 
and such a church, and do not wish to change their religion 

They will be drawn to Zion by the great wisdom dis- 
played there, and will attribute it to the cunning and crafti- 
ness of men. It will be asked, "What do you want to do, 
ye strangers from afar ? " "We want to live our own re- 
ligion." "Will you bow the knee before God with us?" "0 
yes, we would as soon do it as not" ; and at that time every 
knee shall bow, and every tongue acknowledge that God 
who is the framer and maker of all things, the governor and 
controller of the universe. They will have to bow the knee 
and confess that he is God, and that Jesus Christ, who 
suffered for the sms of the world, is actually its Redeemer, 
that by the shedding of his blood he has redeemed men, 
women, children, beasts, birds, fish, the earth itself, and 
everything that John saw and heard praising in heaven. 
2 316-317. 

By and by the world will be overturned according to 
the words of the prophet, and we will see the reign of 
righteousness enter in, and sin and iniquity will have to 
walk off But the power and principles of evil, if they can 



1/4 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

be called principles, will never yield one particle to the 
righteous march of the Savior, only as they are beaten back 
inch by inch, and we have got to take the ground by force. 
Yes, by the mental force of faith, and by good works, the 
march forth of the Gospel will increase, spread, grow and 
prosper, until the nations of the earth will feel that Jesus 
has the right to rule Kmg of nations as he does King of 
Saints. 14:226. 

Return to Jackson County — When are we going back to 
Jackson County? Not until the Lord commands his peo- 
ple; and it is just as much as you and I can do to get ready 
to go when he does command us 6 269. 

If that is back to Jackson County, do not be scared, for 
as the Lord lives this people will go back and build a great 
temple there. This people will surely go back to Jackson 
County. How soon that may be, or when it may be, I do 
not care , but that is not now the gathering place for this 
people. '3 278 

Where is the center Stake of Zion ? In Jackson County, 
Missouri 8.198 

There has been considerable said this afternoon with re- 
gard to redeeming and building up Zion, the Order of 
Enoch, etc I see men and women in this congregation- 
only a few of them — who were driven from the central 
Stake of Zion Ask them if they had any sorrow or trou- 
ble , then let them look at the beautiful land that the Lord 
would have given them if all had been faithful in keeping 
his commandments, and had walked before him as they 
should; and then ask them with regard to the blessings 
they would have received If they tell you the sentiments 
of their minds, they will tell you that the yoke of Jesus 
would have been easy and his burden would have been 



THE LAST DAYS 175 

light, and that it would have been a delightful task to have 
walked in obedience to his commandments and to have 
been of one heart and one mind, but through the selfish- 
ness of some, which is idolatry, through their covetousness, 
which is the same, and the lustful desire of their minds, 
they were cast out and driven from their homes. We have 
been driven many times; but each time, if they who pro- 
fessed to be the servants of God had served him with an 
undivided heart, they would have had the privilege of liv- 
ing m their houses, possessing their lands, attending to their 
meetings, and spreading abroad on the right and the left, 
lengthening the cords of Zion, and strengthening her 
stakes until the land had been dedicated to the Gospel of 
the Son of God. Well, I have been with the rest and I ex- 
pect I have been covetous like them, and probably I am 
now ; but if I am, I wish somebody would tell me wherein. 
13 1. 

Coming of Christ— Do you know that it is the eleventh 
hour of the reign of Satan on the earth ? Jesus is coming 
to reign, and all you who fear and tremble because of your 
enemies, cease to fear them, and learn to fear to offend God, 
fear to transgress his laws, fear to do any evil to your 
brother, or to any being upon the earth, and do not fear 
Satan and his power, nor those who have only power to 
slay the body, for God will preserve his people. 10 250. 

In the progress of the age in which we live, we discern 
the fulfilment of prophecy, and the preparation for the sec- 
ond coming of our Lord and Savior to dwell upon the 
earth We expect that the refuge of lies will be swept 
away, and that city, nation, government, or kingdom which 
serves not God, and gives no heed to the principles of truth 
and religion, will be utterly wasted away and destroyed. 
2.178. 



176 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

Jesus has been upon the earth a great many more times 
than you are aware o'f. When Jesus makes his next appear- 
ance upon the earth, but few of this Church will be pre- 
pared to receive him and see him face to face and converse 
with him , but he will come to his temple. Will he remain 
and dwell upon the earth a thousand years, without re- 
turning? He will come here, and return to his mansions 
where he dwells with his Father, and come again to the 
earth, and again return to his Father, according to my un- 
derstanding. Then angels will come and begin to resurrect 
the dead, and the Savior will also raise the dead, and they 
will receive the keys of the resurrection, and will begin to 
assist in that work. Will the wicked know of it? They 
will know just as much about that as they now know about 
"Mormonism," and no more. 7 142. 

When your eyes are open, you will see that this earth 
has fallen from the glory and presence of the Father, to 
pass through certain ordeals, together with the people upon 
it And by and by, when Jesus reigns and rules, King of 
nations, he will say to his Father, "Here is my work ! Here 
are my brethren ! Here is my redemption — the fruit of my 
labor ! I have ceased not to contend with the Enemy until 
I have put him under my feet I have destroyed death, and 
him that has the power of death." 8 :297, 

At times I may to many of the brethren appear to be 
severe. I sometimes chasten them; but it is because I wish 
them to live so that the power of God, like a flame of fire, 
will dwell within them and be around about them. These 
are my feelings and desires. I wish to see this people take 
a course to bring back the days, years, and intelligence that 
have been lost through transgression. This cannot be per- 
formed in a day. Zion will not be redeemed and built up 



THE LAST DAYS 177 

m a day Israel will not be brought back to the fold of 
Christ and redeemed in a day 8 62. 

The Millennium— The 'Millennium consists in this— 
every heart in the Church and Kingdom of God being united 
in one; the Kingdom increasing to the overcoming of 
everything opposed to the economy of heaven, and Satan 
being bound, and having a seal set upon him. All things 
else will be as they are now, we shall eat, drink, and wear 
clothing. 1 :203. 

When all nations are so subdued to Jesus that every 
knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess, there will 
still be millions on the earth who will not believe in him , 
but they will be obliged to acknowledge his kingly govern- 
ment 7,142. 

Let the people be holy, and the earth under their feet 
will be holy. Let the people be holy, and filled with the 
Spirit of God, and every animal and creeping thing will be 
filled with peace; the soil of the earth will bring forth in 
its strength, and the fruits thereof will be meat for man' 
The more purity that exists, the less is the strife , the more 
kind we are to our animals, the more will peace increase, 
and the savage nature of the brute creation vanish away. 
If the people will not serve the Devil another moment 
whilst they live, if this congregation is possessed of that 
spirit and resolution, here in this house is the Millennium. 
Let the inhabitants of this city be possessed of that spirit, 
let the people of the territory be possessed of that spirit, 
and here is the Millennium, and so will it spread over all the 
world. 1 :203 

In the Millennium, when the Kingdom of God is estab- 
lished on the earth in power, glory and perfection, and the 
reign of wickedness that has so long prevailed is subdued, 



178 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG , 

the Saints of God will have the privilege of building their 
temples, and of entering into them, becoming, as it were, 
pillars in the temples of God, and they will officiate for 
their dead. Then we will see our friends come up, and per- 
haps some that we have been acquainted with here. If we 
ask who will stand at the head of the resurrection m this 
last dispensation, the answer is—Joseph Smith, Junior, the 
Prophet of God. He is the man who will be resurrected 
and receive the keys of the resurrection, and he .will seal 
this authority upon others, and they will hunt up their 
friends and resurrect them when they shall have been offi- 
ciated for, and bring them up. And we will have revela- 
tions to know our forefathers clear back to Father Adam 
and Mother Eve, and we will enter into the temples of God 
and officiate for them. Then man will be sealed to man 
until the chain is made perfect back to Adam, so that there 
will be a perfect chain of priesthood from Adam to the 
winding-up scene. 

This will be the work of the Latter-day Saints in the 
Millennium. 15:138. 

When Jesus comes to rule and reign, King of nations, 
as he now does, King of Samts, the veil of the covering will 
be taken from all nations, that all flesh may see his glory 
together, but that will not make them all Saints. Seeing 
the Lord does not make a man a Saint; seeing an angel 
does not make a man a Saint by any means. A man may 
see the finger of the Lord, and not thereby become a Saint ; 
the veil of the covering may be taken from before the na- 
tions, and all flesh see his glory together, and at the same 
time declare they will not serve him 2 :316. 

Rapid Movements in the Last Days— Do you under- 
stand that what the Lord will perform in the latter days will 



THE LAST DAYS 179 

be done quicker than in the former days? He suffered 
Noah to occupy one hundred and twenty years in building 
the ark. Were he to command us to build an ark, he would 
not allow so long a time for completing it. 8 134. 

If I live as long as Enoch lived, who walked with the 
Lord three hundred and sixty-five years, can I then see a 
people prepared to enter at once in the celestial world ? No. 
Many may think that Enoch and his whole city were taken 
from the earth directly into the presence of God. That is 
a mistaken idea. If, within three hundred and sixty-five 
years, I can see a people capable of surmounting every sin, 
of overcoming every evil and effect of sin to such a degree 
as to be separated in the flesh from the sinful portion of 
the world and from all the effects of the fall — a great peo- 
ple as pure and holy as were the people of Enoch, I should 
not complain, and, perhaps, have no cause to Yet, in the 
latter days, God will cut short his work in righteousness. 
8:134. 

According to my definition of the word, there is not a 
strictly and fully civilized community now upon the earth 
Is there murder by wholesale to be found in a strictly 
civilized community?* Will a community of civilized na- 
tions rise up one against another, nation against nation, 
and kingdom against kingdom, using against each other 
every destructive invention that can be brought to bear in 
their wars? When will they be civilized? When the Lord 
shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many peo- 
ple; and they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, 
and their spears into pruninghooks ; when nations shall not 
lift up sword against nation, neither learn war any more. 
When the world is in a 'state of true civilization, man will 
have ceased to contend against his fellow-man, either as 



180 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

individuals, parties, communities, sects, or nations. This 
state of civilization will be brought about by the holy 
Priesthood of the Son of God ; and men, with full purpose 
of heart, will seek unto him who is pure and holy, even 
our 'great Creator— our Father and God; and he will give 
them a law that is pure—a government and plan of society 
possessed by holy beings in heaven. Then there will be no 
more war, no more bloodshed, no more evil speaking and 
evil doing ; but all will be contented to follow m the path 
of truth, which alone is calculated to exalt and dignify the 
whole man, mentally and physically, in all his operations, 
labors, and purposes. Short of this, mankind cannot be 
said to be truly civilized. 8 .6-7. 

Then, do not be too anxious for the Lord to hasten his 
work. Let our anxiety be centered upon one thing, the 
sanctification of our own hearts, the purifying of our own 
affections, the preparing of ourselves for the approach of 
the events that are hastening upon us. This should be our 
concern, this should be our study, this should be our daily 
prayer, and not to be in a hurry to see the overthrow of the 
wicked. 9 :3. 

Whether the world is going to be burned up within a 
year, or within a thousand years, does not matter a groat to 
you and me. We have the words of eternal life, we have 
the privilege of obtaining glory, immortality, and eternal 
lives, now will you obtain these blessings? 4 -53 

This is the day in which we are to learn and to in- 
crease in our knowledge. 4 :204. 

The Lord's time is not for me to know, but he is kind, 
long-suffering, and patient, and his wrath endureth silently, 
and will until mercy is completely exhausted, and then 
judgment will take the reins. I do not know how, neither 



THE LAST DAYS 181 

do I at present wish to know. It is enough for us to know 
how to serve our God and live our religion, and thus we 
will increase in the favor of God 4 371 

It is too late in the day for this people ever to be cast 
off and disowned by the Lord. The work the Lord prom- 
ised to do is too nigh accomplished, and he has promised to 
make a short work on the earth. This work has some time 
since commenced; and if any of the people will not serve 
their God and do the work he has given them to do, they 
will be removed out of the way, and that speedily. It is too 
late in the day for this people to apostatize and the Priest- 
hood to be taken again from the earth ; so there is not much 
ground for fears even in this respect. 6 '267. 

Zion — Where is Zion? Where the organization of the 
Church of God is. And may it dwell spiritually in every 
heart; and may we so live as to enjoy the spirit of Zion 
always! 8-205. 

Do we realize that if we enjoy a Zion in time or in eter- 
nity we must make it for ourselves ? That all, who have a 
Zion in the eternities of the Gods, organized, framed, con- 
solidated, and perfected it themselves, and consequently 
are entitled to enjoy it ? 9:282. 

This is the Gospel; this is the plan of salvation; this is 
the Kingdom of God ; this is the Zion that has been spoken 
and written of by all the Prophets since the world began 
This is the work of Zion which the Lord has promised to 
bring forth. 12-172. 

When we conclude to make a Zion we will make it, and 
this work commences in the heart of each person When 
the father of a family wishes to make a Zion in his own 
house, he must take the lead in this good work, which it is 
impossible for him to do unless he himself possesses the 



182 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

spirit of Zion Before lie can produce the work of sanctifi- 
cation in his family, he must sanctify himself, and by this 
means God can help him to sanctify his family. 9 283 

There is not one thing wanting in all the works of God's 
hands to make a Zion upon the earth when the people con- 
clude to make it. We can make a Zion of God on earth at 
our pleasure, upon the same principle that we can raise a 
field of wheat, or build and inhabit. There has been no 
time when the material has not been here from which to 
produce corn, wheat, etc , and by the judicious manage- 
ment and arrangement of this ever-existing material a Zion 
of God can always be built on the earth. 9 .283. 

Let me say a few words with regard to Zion We pro- 
fess to be Zion. If we are the pure in heart we are so, for 
"Zion is the pure in heart." Now when Zion is built up and 
reigns, the question may arise with some, will all be Latter- 
day Saints? No Will there be this variety of classes and 
faiths that we now behold ? I do not know whether there 
will be as many, or whether there will be more. But be 
that as it may, Jesus has gone to prepare mansions for 
every creature. Who will go down as "sons of perdition*' 
and receive the reward of the damned? None but those 
who have sinned against the Holy Ghost All others will be 
gathered into kingdoms where there will be a certain 
amount of peace and glory. Will the Methodists have their 
heaven ? I will venture to say that John Wesley, if he never 
hears the Gospel preached m the world of spirits, will enjoy 
all the happiness and glory that he ever thought of. And 
so it will be with others, I mention him merely because he 
is a noted character. In all those kingdoms the people will 
he as varied as they are here. In the Millennium men will 
have the privilege of their own belief, but they will not have 



THE LAST DAYS 183 

the privilege of treating the name and character of Deity as 
they have done heretofore. No, but every knee shall bow 
and every tongue confess to the glory of God the Father 
that Jesus is the Christ. 12 :274. 
12:274. 

My spiritual enjoyment must be obtained by my own 
life, but it would add much to the comfort of the com- 
munity, and to my happiness, as one with them, if every 
man and woman would live their religion, and enjoy the 
light and glory of the Gospel for themselves, be passive, 
humble, and faithful; rejoice continually before the Lord, 
attend to the business they are called to do, and be sure 
never to do anything ^vrong. 

All would then be peace, joy, and tranquility, in our 
streets and in our houses. Litigation would cease, there 
would be no" difficulties before the High Council and 
Bishops' Courts, and courts, turmoil, and strife would not 
be known. 

Then we would have Zion, for all would be pure in 
heart. 3 :255. 

The Land of Zion— This is the land of Zion. West of 
us is a body of water that we call the Pacific, and to the 
east there is another large body of water which we call the 
Atlantic, and to the north is where they have tried to dis- 
cover a northwest passage ; these waters surround the land 
of Zion. 4:301. 

And what is Zion? In one sense Zion is the pure in 
heart. But is there a land that ever will be called Zion? 
Yes, brethren. What land is it? It is the land that the 
Lord gave to Jacob, who bequeathed it to his son Joseph, 
and his posterity, and they inhabit it, and that land is 
North and South America. That is Zion, as to land, as to 



184 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

territory, and location The children of Zion have not yet 
much in their possession, but their territory is North and 
South America to begin with. As to the spirit of Zion, it 
is in the hearts of the Saints of those who love and serve 
the Lord with all their might, mind and strength. 2 253 

This American continent will be Zion ; for it is so spoken 
of by the prophets. Jerusalem will be rebuilt and will be 
the place of gathering, and the tribe of Judah will gather 
there; but this continent of America is the land of Zion 
5:4. 

This is the land of Zion- -this is the continent whereon 
the Lord has commenced his work for the last time, and 
whereon Jesus will make his appearance the second time, 
when he comes to gather and save the House of Israel. 
8 81-2 

Zion will extend, eventually, all over this earth, There 
will be no nook or corner upon the earth but what will be 
in Zion It will all be Zion 9:138 

The City of Zion— -We look forward to the day when the 
Lord will prepare for the building of the New Jerusalem, 
preparatory to the City of Enoch's going to be joined with 
it when it is built upon this earth. We are anticipating to 
enjoy that day, whether we sleep in death previous to that, 
or not. We look forward, with all the anticipation and con- 
fidence that children can possess in a parent, that we shall 
be there when Jesus comes; and if we are not there, we 
will come with him . in either case we shall be there when 
he comes. 8:342. 

We want all the Latter-day Saints to understand how 
to build up Zion. The City of Zion, in beauty and magnifi- 
cence, will outstrip anything that is now known upon the 
earth. The curse will be taken from the earth and sin and 



THE LAST DAYS 185 

corruption will be swept from its face. Who will do this 
great work? Is the Lord going to convince the people that 
he will redeem the center Stake of Zion, beautify it and 
then place them there without an exertion on their part? 
No. He will not come here to build a Temple, a Taber- 
nacle, a Bowery, or to set out fruit trees, make aprons of 
fig leaves or coats of skins, or work in brass and iron, for 
we already know how to do these things He will not come 
here to teach us how to raise and manufacture cotton, how 
to make hand cards, how to card, how to make spinning 
machines, looms, etc., etc. We have to build up Zion, if 
we do our duty 10 172. 

I have many times asked the questions, "Where is the 
man that knows how to lay the first rock for the wall that 
is to surround the New Jerusalem or the Zion of God on 
the earth? Where is the man who knows how to con- 
struct the first gate of the city? Where is the man who 
understands how to build up the Kingdom of God in its 
purity and to prepare for Zion to come down to meet it?" 
"Well," says one, "I thought the Lord was going to do 
this " So he is if we will let him. This is what we want . 
we want the people to be willing for the Lord to do it But 
he will do it by means. He will not send his angels 
to gather up the rock to build up the New Jerusalem. He 
will not send his angels from the heavens to go to the 
mountains to cut the timber and make it into lumber to 
adorn the City of Zion He has called upon us to do this 
work; and if we will let him work by, through, and with 
us, he can accomplish it; otherwise we shall fall short, and 
shall never have the honor of building up Zion on the earth 
13:313. 

Purpose of Gathering— A remnant of the people of Israel 



186 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

are to be saved, and they will yet be gathered together 
16 109. 

Ephraim has become mixed with all the nations of the 
earth, and it is Ephraim that is gathering together 2 "268 

We are gathering the people as fast as we can. We are 
gathering them to make Saints of them and of ourselves 
9-137-8 

We have been gathered to the valleys of these moun- 
tains for the express purpose of purifying ourselves, that we 
may become polished stones in the temple of God. We are 
here for the purpose of establishing the Kingdom of God 
on the earth. To be prepared for this work it has been 
necessary to gather us out from the nations and countries 
of the world, for if we had remained in those lands we could 
not have received the ordinances of the holy Priesthood of 
the Son of God, which are necessary for the perfection of 
the Saints preparatory to his coming 12 161 

The Jews and Jerusalem — Jerusalem is not to be re- 
deemed by our going there and preaching to the inhabitants 
It will be redeemed by the high hand of the Almighty. It 
will be given into the possession of the ancient Israelites 
by the power of God, and by the pouring out of his judg- 
ments. 2.141. 

Jerusalem is not to be redeemed by the soft, still voice 
of the preacher of the Gospel of peace Why? Because 
they were once the blessed of the Lord, the chosen of the 
Lord, the promised seed. They were the people from 
among whom should spring the Messiah, and salvation 
could be found only through that people. The Messiah 
came through them, and they killed him; and they will be 
the last of all the seed of Abraham to have the privilege of 
receiving the New and Everlasting Covenant You may 



THE LAST DAYS 187 

hand out to them gold, you may feed and clothe them, but 
it is impossible to convert the Jews, until the Lord God 
Almighty does it 2 142. 

By andl)y the Jews will be gathered to the land of their 
fathers, and the ten tribes, who wandered into the north, 
will be gathered home, and the blood of Ephraim, the sec- 
ond son of Joseph, who was sold into Egypt, which is to 
be found in every kingdom and nation under heaven, will 
be gathered from among the Gentiles, and the Gentiles who 
will receive and adhere to the principles of the .Gospel wilj 
be adopted and initiated into the family of Father Abra- 
ham, and Jesus will reign over his own and Satan will 
reign over his own 12 .38. 

We have a great desire for their welfare, and are looking 
for the time soon to come when they will gather at Jeru- 
salem, build up the city and the land of Palestine, and pre- 
pare for the coming of the Messiah. When he comes again, 
he will not come as he did when the Jews rejected him, 
neither will he appear first at Jerusalem when he makes 
his second appearance on the earth; but he will appear first 
on the land where he commenced his work in the begin- 
ning, and planted the Garden of Eden, and that was done in 
the land of America. 

When the Savior visits Jerusalem, and the Jews look 
upon him, and see the wounds in his hands and in his side 
and in his feet, they will then know that they have perse- 
cuted and ,put to death the true Messiah, and then they will 
acknowledge him, but not till then. They have confounded 
his first and second coming, expecting his first coming to 
be as a mighty prince instead of as a servant. They will go 
back by and by to Jerusalem and own their Lord and 
Master. We have no feelings against them. 11 '279. 



188 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

The Indians or Lamanites— The Lamanites or Indians 
are just as much the children of our Father and God as we 
are. So also are the Africans But we are also the chil- 
dren of adoption through obedience to the Gospel of his 
Son. 11 272. 

I spoke a harsh word yesterday with regard to a man 
who professes to be a Latter-day Saint who has been guilty 
of killing an innocent Indian. I say today that he is just 
as much a murderer through killing that Indian, as he would 
have been had he shot down a white man. To slay an in- 
nocent person is murder according to the law of Moses 
11 263. 

We could circumscribe their camps and kill every man, 
woman and child of them This is what others have done, 
and if we were to do it, what better are we than the wicked 
and the ungodly ? It is our duty to be better than they in 
our administrations of justice and our general conduct to- 
ward the Lamanites. It is not our duty to kill them ; but it 
is our duty to save their lives and the lives of their chil- 
dren. 11-264. 

There is a curse on these aborigines of our country who 
roam the plains, and are so wild that you cannot tame them 
They are of the House of Israel; they once had the Gospel 
delivered to them, they had the oracles of truth; Jesus 
came and administered to them after his resurrection, and 
they received and delighted in the Gospel until the fourth 
generation when they turned away and became so wicked 
that God cursed them with this dark and benighted and 
loathsome condition 14.86. 

As we have here an assemblage of the people from other 
settlements, I wish to impress them with the necessity of 
treating the Indians with kindness, and to refrain from har- 



THE LAST DAYS 189 

boring that revengeful, vindictive feeling that many in- 
dulge in. I am convinced that as long as we harbor in us 
such feelings toward them, so long they will be our 
enemies, and the Lord will suffer them to afflict us. I cer- 
tainly believe that the present affliction, which has come 
upon us from the Indians, is a consequence of the wicked- 
ness which dwells in the hearts of some of our brethren. 
If the Elders of Israel had always treated the Lamanites as 
they should, I do not believe that we should have had any 
difficulty with them at all. This is my firm conviction, and 
my conclusion according to the light that is in me. I be- 
lieve that the Lord permits 'them to chasten us at the pres- 
ent time to convince us that we have to overcome the vin- 
dictive feelings which we have harbored towards that poor, 
downtrodden branch of the House of Israel. 1 1 :263. 

Do we wish to do right? You answer, yes. Then let 
the Lamanites come back to their homes, where they were 
born and brought up. This is the land that they and their 
fathers have walked over and called their own; and they 
have just as good a right to call it theirs today as any peo- 
ple have to call any land their own. They have buried their 
fathers and mothers and children here ; this is their home, 
and we have taken possession of it, and occupy the land 
where they used to hunt the rabbit, and, not a great while 
since, the buffalo, and the antelope were in these valleys 
in large herds when we first came here 

When we came here, they could catch fish in great 
abundance in the lake in the season thereof, and live 
upon them pretty much through the summer. But now 
their game has gone, and they are left to starve. It is our 
duty to feed them. The Lord has given us ability to culti- 
vate the ground and reap bountiful harvests. We have an 



190 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

abundance of food for ourselves and for the stranger. It is 
our duty to feed these poor ignorant Indians ; we are living 
on their possessions and at their homes. 11 :264. 



CHAPTER XI 
THE SCRIPTURES 

The Bible — In the Bible are the words of life and salva- 
tion. 13.214. 

We are believers in the Bible, and to our unshaken faith 
in its precepts, doctrine, and prophecy, may be attributed 
"the strangeness of our course," and the unwarrantable con- 
duct of many towards this people. 1 :237. 

But I want to know if we agree with the teachings of 
the Bible, in our belief and practice. The Latter-day Saints 
believe in doing just what the Lord has told them to do 
in this book. 1 :239. 

We believe the New Testament, and consequently, to 
be consistent, we must believe in new revelation, visions, 
angels, in all the gifts of the Holy Ghost, and aU the prom- 
ises contained in these books, and believe it about as it 
reads. 1 :242. 

We have a holy reverence for and a belief in the Bible. 
14:113. 

The Bible is true. It may not all have been translated 
aright, and many precious things may have been rejected 
in the compilation and translation of the Bible; but we 
understand, from the writings of one of the Apostles, that 
if all the sayings and doings of the Savior had been writ- 
ten, the world could not contain them. I will say that the 
world could not understand them. They do not understand 
what we have on record, nor the character of the Savior, 
as delineated in the Scriptures ; and yet it is one of the sim- 
plest things in the world, and the Bible, when it is under- 
stood, is one of the simplest books in the world, for, as far 



192 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

as it is translated correctly, it is nothing but truth, and in 
truth there is no mystery save to the ignorant. The revela- 
tions of the Lord to his creatures are adapted to the lowest 
capacity, and they bring life and salvation to all who are 
willing to receive them. 14 -135. 

Take the Bible just as it reads; and if it be translated 
incorrectly and there is a scholar on the earth who pro- 
fesses to be a Christian, and he can translate it any better 
than King James's translators did it, he is under ^obliga- 
tion to do so. If I understood Greek and Hebrew as some 
may profess to do, and I knew the Bible was not correctly 
translated, I should feel myself bound by the law of justice 
to the inhabitants of the earth to translate that which is in- 
correct and give it just as it was spoken anciently. Is that 
proper? Yes, I would be under obligation to do it. But I 
think it is translated just as correctly as the scholars could 
get it, although it is not correct in a great many instances. 
But it is no matter about that Read it and observe it and 
it will not hurt any person in the world 14 .226. 

By reading the Bible we find that the Gospel is con- 
tained not only in the New Testament, but also in the Old 
Moses and the Prophets saw and predicted the apostasy of 
the Church. They saw that the Lord would strive with the 
children of men from time to time, that he would deliver to 
them the truth and the Priesthood; they also saw that 
through the wickedness of the people they would change 
his ordinances, break the covenants, and transgress his laws, 
until the Priesthood would be taken from the earth, and its 
inhabitants be left in apostasy and darkness 16 74 

I have heard ministers of the Gospel declare that they 
believed every word in the Bible was the word of God. I 
have said tp them, "You believe more than I do," I be- 



THE SCRIPTURES 193 

lieve the words of God are there, I believe the words of the 
Devil are there; I believe that the words of men and the 
words of angels are there, and that is not all, — I believe 
that the words of a dumb brute are there I recollect one 
of the prophets riding, and prophesying against Israel, and 
the animal he rode rebuked his madness. 14-280. 

I believe the words of the Bible are just what they are; 
but aside from that I believe the doctrines concerning salva- 
tion contained in that book are true, and that their observ- 
ance will elevate any people, nation or family that dwells 
on the face of the earth. The doctrines contained in the 
Bible will lift to a superior condition all who observe them , 
they will impart to them knowledge, wisdom, charity, fill 
them with compassion and cause them to feel after the 
wants of those who are in distress, or in painful or de- 
graded circumstances They who observe the precepts 
contained in the Scriptures will be just and true and vir- 
tuous and peacable at home and abroad. Follow out the 
doctrines of the Bible, and men will make splendid hus- 
bands, women excellent wives, and children will be 
obedient; they will make families happy and the nations 
wealthy and happy and lifted up above the things of this 
life 13 175 

We take this book, the Bible, which I expect to see 
voted out of the so-called Christian world very soon, they 
are coming to it as fast as possible, I say we take this book 
for our guide, for our rule of action; we take it as the 
foundation of our faith It points the way to salvation like 
a fingerboard pointing to a city, or a map which desig- 
nates th6 locality of mountains, rivers, or the latitude 
and longitude of any place on the surface of the earth that 
we desire to find, and we have no better sense than to be- 



194 DISCOURSES OF BEIGHAM YOUNG 

heve it; hence, I say that the Latter-day Saints have the 
most natural faith and belief of any people on the face of 
the earth. 13.236. 

We as Latter-day Saints have confessed before Heaven, 
before the heavenly hosts, and before the inhabitants of 
the earth, that we really believe the Scriptures as they are 
given to us, according to the best understanding and knowl- 
edge that we have of the translation, and the spirit and 
meaning of the Old and New Testaments 12 '227 

Take up the Bible, compare the religion of the Latter- 
day Saints with it, and see if it will stand the test. 17 46 

This Book, which is the Old and New Testament, 
preaches but one sermon from Genesis to Revelation 
6.284. 

The doctrine that we preach is the doctrine of the Bible, 
it is the doctrine the Lord has revealed for the salvation of 
the children of God, and when men, who have once obeyed 
it, deny it, they deny it with their eyes wide open, and 
knowing that they deny the truth and set at naught the 
counsels of the Almighty. 14 200. 

I ask you, brother B, how I must believe the Bible, 
and how shall you and every other follower of the Lord 
Jesus Christ believe it? "Brother Mormon, how do you 
believe it?" I believe it just as it is. I do not believe in 
putting any man's interpretation upon it, whatever, unless 
it should be directed by the Lord himself in some way. 
I do not believe we need interpreters and expounders of 
the Scriptures, to wrest them from their literal, plain, sim- 
ple meaning. 1 :237. 

There is one idea entertained by the "Mormons" which 
is somewhat of a stumbling-block to the people, and apos- 
tates 'handle it to suit their purpose. It is, that we consider 



THE SCRIPTURES 195 

the Bible merely as a guide or fingerboard, pointing to a 
certain destination. This is a true doctrine, which we boldly 
advance. If you will follow the doctrines, and be guided by 
the precepts of that book, it will direct you where you may 
see as you are seen, where you may converse with Jesus 
Christ, have the visitation of angels, have dreams, visions, 
and revelations, and understand and know God for your- 
selves. Is it not a stay and a staff to you? Yes; it will 
prove to you that you are following in the footsteps of the 
ancients. You can see what they saw, understand what 
they enjoyed. 1 :243. 

The Standard Church Works. With us the Bible is the 
first book, the Book of Mormon comes next, then the reve- 
lations in the book of Doctrine and Covenants, then the 
teachings of the living oracles, yet you will find, in the end, 
that the living oracles of God have to take all things of 
heaven and earth, above and beneath, and bring them to- 
gether and devote them to God, and sanctify and purify 
them and prepare them to enter into the Kingdom of 
heaven. 9:297. 

There is no clash in the principles revealed in the Bible, 
the Book of Mormon, and the Doctrine and Covenants ; and 
there would be no clash between any of the doctrines taught 
by Joseph the Prophet and by the brethren now, if all would 
live in a way to be governed by the Spirit of the Lord. All 
do not live so as to have the Spirit of the Lord with them 
all the time, and the result is that some get out of the way. 
5:329. 

We have learned much from the Bible. We have also 
Learned muth from the Book of Mormon and the book of 
Doctrine and Covenants ; but all the salvation you can ob- 
tain by means of those books alone is comparatively of little 



196 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

value. They contain a history of what other men have 
done, show the path they walked in, and the way in which 
they obtained the words of eternal life for themselves , but 
all the Scriptures from the days of Adam until now cannot, 
alone, save one individual Were they all committed to 
memory so perfectly that they could be recited with the 
greatest ease, that alone would not save one of the smallest 
of God's creatures, nor bring any person nearer the gate of 
the celestial kingdom. In visiting a foreign nation, an un- 
derstanding of its language, geography, manners, cus- 
toms, and laws is very agreeable and beneficial. So the 
reading of the Bible gives comfort and happiness to the 
traveler to eternity, and points out to him m part the char- 
acter and attributes of the Being whom to know is life 
eternal We have not yet attained to that knowledge, and 
the mere reading of the Scriptures can never put us in pos- 
session of it 7.332 

It is your privilege and duty to live so, as to be able to 
understand the things of God There are the Old and New 
Testaments, the Book of Mormon, and the book of Doc- 
trine and Covenants, which Joseph has given us, and they 
are of great worth to a person wandering in darkness They 
are like a lighthouse in the ocean, or a finger-post which 
points out the road we should travel. Where do they 
point 7 To the Fountain of light. 8 129 

What do the infidel world say about the Bible? They 
say that the Bible is nothing better than last year's al- 
manac , it is nothing but a fable of priestcraft, and it is good 
for nothing. The Book of Mormon, however, declares that 
the Bible is true, and it proves it; and the two prove each 
other true. The Old and New Testaments are the stick of 
Judah, You recollect that the tribe of Judah tarried in 



THE SCRIPTURES 197 

Jerusalem and the Lord blessed Judah, and the result was 
the writings of the Old and New Testaments. But where 
is the stick of Joseph? Can you tell where it is ? Yes. It 
was the children of Joseph who came across the waters to 
this continent, and this land was filled with people, and 
the Book of Mormon or the stick of Joseph contains their 
writings, and they are in the hands of Ephraim. Where are 
the Ephraimites? They are mixed through all the nations 
of the earth. God is calling upon them to gather out, and 
he is uniting them, and they are giving the Gospel to all 
the world. Is there any harm or any false doctrine in that? 
A great many say there is. If there is, it is all in the Bible 
13:174. 

The Christian world profess to believe the Old and New 
Testaments ; the Jews say they believe the Old Testament 
We believe both, and that is not all, we believe in the Book 
of Mormon, and the Doctrine and Covenants given by the 
Lord to Joseph Smith and by him to the Church. We also 
believe if we were destitute of the Spirit of the Lord, and 
our eyes were closed so that we could not see and under- 
stand things as they are by the spirit of revelation, we 
might say farewell to all these books, no matter how 
numerous. If we had all the revelation given since the 
days of Adam and were without the spirit of revelation to 
be and abide in the midst of the people, it would be impos- 
sible for us to be saved in the celestial kingdom of God. 
12:259-260. 

The book of Doctrine and Covenants is given for the 
Latter-day Saints expressly for their everyday walk and 
actions. 16:188. 

The Use of the Scriptures— Do you read the Scriptures, 
my brethren and sisters, as though you were writing them 



198 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

a thousand, two thousand, or five thousand years ago? Do 
you read them as though you stood in the place of the men 
who wrote them? If you do not feel thus, it is your privi- 
lege to do so, that you may be as familiar with the spirit 
and meaning of the written word of God as you are with 
your daily walk and conversation, or as you are with your 
workmen or with your households 7 .333. 

The people on every hand are inquiring, "What does 
this scripture mean, and how shall we understand this or 
that passage ? " Now I wish, my brethren and sisters, for 
us to understand things precisely as they are, and not as 
the flitting, changing imagination of the human mind may 
frame them. 

The Bible is just as plain and easy of comprehension as 
the revelation which I have just read to you, if you under- 
stand the Spirit of God— the Spirit of Revelation, and know 
how the Gospel of salvation is adapted to the capacity of 
weak man. 3 :336. 

We are not in the same attitude that the people were a 
few thousand years ago— they were depending on the 
Prophet or Prophets, or on having immediate revelation for 
themselves to know the will of the Lord, without the record 
of their predecessors, while we have the records of those 
who have lived before us, also the testimony of the Holy 
Spirit , and, to the satisfaction of all who desire a testimony, 
we can turn to this book and read that which we believe, 
learn the object of our pursuit, the end that we expect to 
accomplish— the end of the race as far as mortality is con- 
cerned — and the fulness of the glory that is beyond this 
vale of tears ; consequently we have the advantage of those 
who lived before us We are in pursuit of knowledge ; and 
when you meet together, if you have a word of prophecy, 



THE SCRIPTURES 199 

a dream, a vision, or a word of wisdom, impart the same 
to the people. IS :35. 

Is there anything in the Bible that should not be read 
by the scholars in schools? If there be, leave out such 
parts, or rather replace the language there used, with 
phraseology more in accordance with modern usage, so 
that the principles contained in the Bible may be taught in 
your catechisms or other books. I know that there is some 
plain talk in the Bible, plainer than I heard this morning, 
but that plain talk was the custom of the ancients. The 
mere phraseology there used is not of much consequence, 
it is the true principle which that book teaches which ren- 
ders it so valuable. If any of you' ladies and gentlemen, 
were to step on a steamboat and cross over to Liverpool, 
you would hear language and see customs that you never 
heard or saw in Yankee land .It is the same with regard 
to the Bible, the phraseology is that which was customary 
centuries ago , but no matter what the language is, that is 
merely custom. But I will say that the doctrines taught 
in the Old and New Testaments concerning the will of God 
towards his children here on the earth; the history of what 
he has done for their salvation; the ordinances which he 
has instituted for their redemption, the gift of his Son 
and his atonement— all these are true, and we, the Latter- 
day Saints, believe in them. 13 174. 

I am a witness, so far as this is concerned, that the 
persons whose names are mentioned, and many others of 
the first Elders of the Church, were looked upon almost as 
angels They were looked upon by the young members as 
being so filled with the Spirit and power of God, that we 
were hardly worthy to converse with them. You hear the 
names of Bishop Partridge, of Brother W. W. Phelps, who 



200 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

is now sitting in this stand, of Parley P. Pratt, of David 
Whitmer, of Oliver Cowdery, and the names of many others 
of the first Elders who had been up to Zion, and I declare 
to you that brethren in other parts of the land, those who 
had not seen the persons named, felt that should they come 
into their presence they would have to pull off their shoes, 
as the ground would be so holy upon which they trod. 

Do you know what distance and age accomplish? They 
produce in people the most reverential awe that can be 
imagined. v 

When we reflect and rightly understand, we learn how 
easy of comprehension the Gospel is, how plain it is in its 
plan, in every part and principle fitted perfectly to the ca- 
pacity of mankind, insomuch that when it is introduced 
among the lovers of truth it appears very easy and very 
plain, and how very ready the honest are to receive it. 

But send it abroad and give it antiquity, and it is at 
once clothed with mystery. This is the case with all the 
ancient revelations. Those which were received and under- 
stood by the ancients are shrouded in mystery and uncer- 
tainty to this generation, and men are employed to reveal 
the meaning of the ancient Scriptures. 3 :335-6. 



CHAPTER XII 
THE PRIESTHOOD 

The Priesthood— All ye inhabitants of the earth, hearken 
and hear ! God has, in our day, spoken from the heavens ; 
he has bestowed his holy Priesthood on the children of men; 
he has called upon all people to repent. 8:136. 

Let us submit to him, that we may share in this in- 
isvible, almighty, God-like power, which is the everlasting 
Priesthood. 3:259. 

The Priesthood of the Son of God, which we have in our 
midst, is a perfect order and system of government, and 
this alone can deliver the human family from all the evils 
which now afflict its members, and insure them happiness 
and felicity hereafter. 13:242. 

If anybody wants to know what the Priesthood of the 
Son of God is, it is the law by which the worlds are, were, 
and will continue for ever and ever. It is that system which 
brings worlds into existence and peoples them, gives them 
their revolutions — their days, weeks, months, years, their 
seasons and times and by which they are rolled up as a 
scroll, as it were, and go into a higher state of existence 
15:127. 

When we talk of the celestial law which is revealed 
from heaven, that is, the Priesthood, we are talking about 
the principle of salvation, a perfect system of government, 
of laws and ordinances, by which we can be prepared to 
pass from one gate to another, and from one sentinel to 
another, until we go into the presence of our Father and 
God. This law has not always been upon the earth; and 
in its absence, other laws have been given to the children 



202 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

of men for their improvement, for their education, for their 
government, and to prove what they would do when left 
to control themselves ; and what we now call tradition has 
grown out of these circumtances. 2.139. 

The Priesthood of the Son of God in its operations com- 
prises the Kingdom of God. 11 249. 

Some of the brightest spirits who dwell in the bosom of 
the Father are making their appearance among this people, 
of whom the Lord will make a Royal Priesthood, a pecu- 
liar nation that he can own and bless, talk with, and asso- 
ciate with. 11 132. 

Men who are vessels of the holy Priesthood, who are 
charged with words of eternal life to the world, should 
strive continually in their words and actions and daily de- 
portment to do honor to the great dignity of their calling 
and office as ministers and representatives of the Most 
High. 11-216. 

The Gospel has brought to us the holy Priesthood, 
which is again restored to the children of men. The keys 
of that Priesthood are here, we have them in our posses- 
sion ; we can unlock, and we can shut up We can obtain 
salvation, and we can administer it. 4 299. 

This Priesthood has been on the earth at various times 
Adam had it, Seth had it, Enoch had it, Noah had it, Abra- 
ham and Lot had it, and it was handed down to the days 
of the Prophets, long after the days of the ancients This 
High Priesthood rules,' directs, governs, and controls all 
the Priesthoods, because it is the highest of all. 9 -87. 

But the Lord has so ordained that no man shall receive 
the benefits of the everlasting Priesthood without humbling 
himself before him, and giving him the glory for teaching 
him, that he may be able to witness to every man of the 



THE PRIESTHOOD 203 

truth, and not depend upon the words of any individual on 
the earth, but know for himself, live "by every word that 
proceedeth out ©f the mouth of God," love the Lord Jesus 
Christ and the institutions of his Kingdom, and finally 
enter into his glory Every man and woman may be a 
revelator, and have the testimony of Jesus, which is the 
spirit of prophecy, and foresee the mind and will of God 
concerning them, eschew evil, and choose that which is 
good. 2 189. 

The Priesthood is given to the people and the keys 
thereof, and, when properly understood, they may actually 
unlock the treasury of the Lord, and receive to their full- 
est satisfaction. But through our own weaknesses, through 
the frailty of human nature, we are not capable of doing 
so. 3 191-2. 

The Priesthood does not wait for ignorance ; it instructs 
those who have not wisdom, and are desirous of learning 
correct principles. 7 64. 

It is the business, duty, and power of the eternal Priest- 
hood to commence laying the foundation to bring back 
the days, years, and intelligence that have been lost through 
transgression I intend to pursue this course so long as I 
possibly can. I trust that I shall not commit an act that 
will annoy my feelings when I meet my Savior. I pray 
for this every day and every moment. 8*62. 

The Lord Almighty will not suffer his Priesthood to be 
again driven from the earth. 2-183-184. 

But mark it well, if we live according to the holy Priest- 
hood bestowed upon us, while God bears rule in the midst 
of these mountains, I promise you, in the name of Israel's 
God, that he will give us seed-time and harvest "We must 
forfeit our right to the Priesthood, before the blessings of 



204 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

the 'heavens cease to come upon us. Let us live our re- 
ligion and hearken to the counsel given to us. 10.292. 

Much has been said about the power of the Latter-day 
Saints. Is it the people called Latter-day Saints that have 
this power, or is it the Priesthood? It is the Priesthood; 
and if they live according to that Priesthood, they can 
commence their work here and gain many victories, and be 
prepared to receive glory, immortality, and eternal life, 
that when they go into the spirit-world, their work will far 
surpass that of any other man or being that has not been 
blessed with the keys of the Priesthood here 7 .288-9 

There is not a despot upon the earth whose power has 
not originally sprung from the Priesthood, and there is not 
a law in the Priesthood but what is founded on the revela- 
tions of Jesus Christ. These are the laws upon which all 
governments were originally based. Truth will endure for- 
ever, and every person that cannot abide truth will fail in 
obtaining eternal life. Truth is what we have. Let us live 
to it, and we shall abide for ever and nd power can prevent 
it 7:149. 

When the faithful Elders, holding this Priesthood, go 
into the spirit world they carry with them the same power 
and Priesthood that they had while in the mortal taber- 
nacle 3 "371 

, When the holy Priesthood is upon the earth, and the 
fulness of the Kingdom of God has come to the people, it 
requires a strict obedience to every point of law and doc- 
trine and to every ordinance which the Lord reveals. 
10.286. 

Were your faith concentrated upon the proper object, 
your confidence unshaken, your lives pure and holy, every 
one fulfilling the duties of his or her calling according to the 



THE PRIESTHOOD 205 

Priesthood and capacity bestowed upon you, you would be 
filled with the Holy Ghost, and it would be as impossible 
for any man to deceive and lead you to destruction as for 
a feather to remain unconsumed in the midst of intense 
heat. 7:277. 

An individual who holds a share in the Priesthood, and 
continues faithful to his calling, who delights himself con- 
tinually in doing the things God requires at his hands, and 
continues through life in the performance of every duty 
will secure to himself not only the privilege of receiving, 
but the knowledge how to receive the things of God, that 
he may know the mind of God continually; and he will 
be enabled to discern between right and wrong, between 
the things of God and the things that are not of God. And 
the Priesthood — the Spirit that is within him, will continue 
to increase until it becomes like a fountain of living water ; 
until it is like the tree of life ; until it is one continued source 
of intelligence and instruction to that individual. 3 :192. 

It is the privilege of every person who is faithful to the 
Priesthood, who can overcome the enemy, thwart the de- 
sign of death, or him that hath the power of it, to live upon 
the earth until their appointed time; and they may know, 
see, and understand, by revelation, the things of God just 
as naturallly as we understand natural things that are 
around us. 3:192-193. 

All the acts we perform should be governed by the guid- 
ance of the Priesthood. 7 :64. 

There is no act of a Latter-day Saint— no duty re- 
quired — no time given, exclusive and independent of the 
Priesthood. Everything is subject to it, whether preaching, 
business, or any other act pertaining to the proper conduct 
of this life. 7:66. 



206 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

Until a selfish, individual interest is banished from our 
minds, and we become interested in the general welfare, we 
shall never be able to magnify our holy Priesthood as we 
should. 11:115. 

No man will gam influence m this Kingdom, save what 
he gains by the influence and power of the Holy One that 
has called him to truth, holiness, and virtue That is all 
the influence I have, and I pray God that I may never have 
any different influence. 7 :140. 

Let me say to the brethren and sisters, when you are 
chastened by any of your leaders, never consider that the 
enemy does it, but receive it always as a kindness from 
the hand of a friend and not as from an enemy. If your 
presidents were your enemies they would let you alone m 
your faults. If you are beloved of the Lord you will be 
chastened; receive it with joy. 10*174. 

In trying all matters of doctrine, to make a decision 
valid, it is necessary to obtain a unanimous voice, faith and 
decision. In the capacity of a Quorum, the three First 
Presidents must be one m their voice ; the Twelve Apostles 
must be unanimous in their voice, to obtain a righteous de- 
cision upon any matter that may come before them, as you 
may read in the Doctrine and Covenants Whenever you 
see these Quorums unanimous in their declaration, you may 
set it down as true. Let the Elders get together, being 
faithful and true , and when they agree upon any point, you 
may know that it is true. 9 91-92. 

I would like to see the High Council and Bishops and 
all Judges filled with the power of the Holy Ghost, that 
when a person comes before them they can read and under- 
stand that person, and be able to decide a case quickly and 
justly. When men have a just appreciation of right and 



THE PRIESTHOOD 207 

wrong, their decision can be made as well the first minute 
after hearing a statement of the case, as to waste hours and 
days to make it. I would like the Bishops and other of- 
ficers to have sufficient power and wisdom from God to 
make them fully aware of the true nature of every case 
that may come before them. But there are some of our 
great men who are so ignorant that a personal favor will 
so bias their minds that they will twist the truth and sustain 
a person in evil. Some, with a trifling consideration, can so 
prejudice the mind of a High Councilor, a High Priest, a 
Bishop, or an Apostle, that he will lean to the individual 
instead of the truth. I despise a man that would offer me 
money to buy me to his favor. 10.42. 

In all High Councils, in Bishops' Courts, and in all other 
departments for transacting our business, the Church and 
Kingdom of God, with the Lord Almighty at the head, will 
cause every man to exhibit the feeling of his heart, for you 
recollect it is written that in the last days the Lord will 
reveal the secrets of the hearts of the children of men 3 *47 

When I am brought to the test to fight for my religion, 
which I trust I never will be, I will call men who are full 
of the power of God for such an emergency. 7 143. 

I relate these circumstances to show you that a person 
who is ordamed to the office of an Elder in this Kingdom 
has the same Priesthood that the High Priests, that the 
Twelve Apostles, that the Seventies, and that the First 
Presidency hold; but all are not called to be one of the 
Twelve Apostles nor are all called to be one of the First 
Presidency, nor to be one of the First Presidents of all the 
Seventies, nor to be one of the Presidents of a Quorum of 
Seventies, nor to preside over the High Priests' Quorum; 
but every man in his order and place, possessing a portion 



208 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

of the same Priesthood, according to the gifts and callings 
to each. Does not this clear up the subject? This will ex- 
plain it to you so that you can understand it When we 
find where our callings and positions are in the midst of 
the people of God, and every person willing to act in the 
discharge of his duty, there is enough for us all to do. All 
persons can have all they desire to do to promote the King- 
dom of God on the earth , they can exercise themselves m 
all that God has granted to them to prove themselves 
worthy before God and the people 9:89. 

Did they destroy it when they took the life of Joseph? 
No "Mormonism" is here, the Priesthood is here, the 
keys of the Kingdom are here on the earth, and when Joseph 
went, they did not go. And if the wicked should succeed m 
taking my life, the keys of the Kingdom will remain with 
the Church 5 -7&7, 

If I find a man, as I do once in a while, who thinks that 
he ought to be sustained in a higher position than he oc- 
cupies, that proves to me that he does not understand his 
true position, and is not capable of magnifying it. Has he 
not already the privilege of exhibiting all the talents he 
has—of doing all the good he is capable of in this Kingdom? 
Is he curtailed in the least, in anywise or place, in bringing 
forth his wisdom and powers, and exhibiting them before 
the community and leading out? No, not in the least Are 
any of you infringed upon or abridged in the least? Is there 
a sister who has not the privilege of exhibiting all the talent 
and power she will, or is capable of, for the benefit of her 
sisters and her children? Are the sisters deprived of any 
liberty in displaying their taste and talent to improve the 
community? 
When I hear persons say that they ought to occupy a 



THE PRIESTHOOD 209 

station more exalted than they do, and hide the talents they 
are in possession of, they have not the true wisdom they 
ought to have. There is a lack in them, or they would im- 
prove upon the talents given. 7.161-2, 

I am more afraid that this people have so much confi- 
dence in their leaders that they will not inquire for them- 
selves of God whether they are led by him. I am fearful 
they settle down in a state of blind self-security, trusting 
their eternal destiny in the hands of their leaders with a 
reckless confidence that in itself would thwart the pur- 
poses of God m their .salvation, and weaken that influence 
they could give to their leaders, did they know for them- 
selves, by the revelations of Jesus,, that they are led in the 
right way. Let every man and woman know, by the whis- 
pering of the Spirit of God to themselves, whether their 
leaders are walking in the path the Lord dictates, or not 
9.150. 

You may take the Quorums in this Church— -the First 
Presidency, the Twelve, the Presidents of the High Priests, 
the High Councilors, and the Presidents of the Seventies; 
and a person may go to each of those Quorums for counsel 
upon any subject, and he will invariably receive the same 
counsel. Why is this the case? Because they are all actu- 
ated by the same spirit 5 :328-9. 

Adam, Seth, Enoch, Noah, all the Patriarchs and Proph- 
ets, Jesus and the Apostles, and every man that has ever 
written the word of the Lord, have written the same doc- 
trine upon the same subject; and you never can find that 
Prophets and Apostles clashed in their doctrines in ancient 
days ; neither will they now, if all would at all times be led 
by the Spirit of salvation. 5 :329. 

Where the Priesthood is not, the people are expected to 



210 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

live according to the best knowledge they have , but even 
then they cannot with impunity commit many heinous 
faults The Lord more readily overlooks them in conse- 
quence of their unenlightened condition, and there is a 
kingdom prepared for them. 10 *286. 

When a man merely from a spirit of conviction goes 
forth to build up the Kingdom of God— to reform the na- 
tions of the earth, he can go so far as morality operates 
upon and enlightens him , but he is without authority from 
heaven We are under no obligation to obey any man or 
being m matters pertaining to salvation, unless his words 
have the authority and sanction of the holy Priesthood 
8:122. 

I never passed John Wesley's church m London without 
stopping to look at it Was he a good man ? Yes ; I sup- 
pose him to have been, by all accounts, as good as ever 
walked on this earth, according to his knowledge. Has he 
obtained a rest? Yes, and greater than ever entered his 
mind to expect, and so have thousands of others of the 
various religious denominations Why could he not build 
up the Kingdom of God on the earth? He had not the 
Priesthood; that was all the difficulty he labored under. 
Had the Priesthood been conferred upon him, he would 
have built up the Kingdom of God in his day as it is now 
being built up He would have introduced the ordinances, 
powers, grades, and quorums of the Priesthood, but, not 
holding the Priesthood, he could not do it. Did the Spirit 
of God rest upon him? Yes, and does, more or less, at 
times, upon all people, 7:5. 

Many persons think, if they see a Prophet they see one 
possessing all the keys of the Kingdom of God on the earth 
This is not so , many persons have prophesied without hav- 



THE PRIESTHOOD 211 

mg any Priesthood on them at all. It is no particular 
revelation or gift for a person to prophesy. You take a 
good statesman, for instance, he will tell you what will 
become of a nation by their actions He forsees this and 
that, and, knows the results of any line of policy that may 
be pursued To be a prophet is simply to be a foreteller 
of future e\ ents , but an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ 
has the keys of the holy Priesthood, and the power thereof 
is sealed upon his head, and by this he is authorized to 
proclaim the truth to the people, and if they receive it, well ; 
if not, the sin be upon their own heads. 13 144 

Seek diligently to know the will of God How can you 
know it ? In matters pertaining to yourselves as individuals, 
you can obtain it directly from the Lord, but in matters 
pertaining to public affairs, his will is ascertained through 
the proper channel, and may be known by the general 
counsel that is given you from the proper source. 1 78. 

I have already said that Christ set in his Church Apostles 
and Prophets , he also set in his Church evangelists, pastors 
and teachers; also the gifts of the Spirit, such as diverse 
tongues, healing the sick, discernment of spirits, and vari- 
ous other gifts Now, I would ask the whole world, Who 
has received revelation that the Lord has discontinued these 
offices and gifts in his Church ? I have not. I have had 
revelation that they should be in the Church, and that there 
is no Church without them I have had many revelations 
proving to me that the Old and New Testaments are true 
Their doctrines are comprised in the Gospel that we preach, 
which is the power of God unto salvation to all who be- 
lieve. 13.144. 

I plead with the Elders of Israel day by day, when I 
have an opportunity, to live their religion— to live so that 



212 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

the Holy Ghost will be their constant companion , and then 
they will be qualified to be judges m Israel, to preside as 
Bishops, presiding Elders, and High Councilors, and as men 
of God, to take their families and friends by the nancf and 
lead them in the path of truth and virtue, and eventually 
into the Kingdom of God. 6 331 

The First Presidency — In the setting forth of items of 
doctrine which pertain to the progress and further building 
up of the Kingdom of God upon the earth, and the revealing 
of his mind and will, he has but one mouth through which 
to make known his will to his people. When the Lord 
wishes to give a revelation to his people, when he wishes 
to reveal new items of doctrine to them, or administer 
chastisement^he will do it through the man whom he has 
appointed to that office and calling. The rest of the offices 
and callings of the Church are helps and governments for 
the edifying of the body of Christ and the perfection of the 
Saints, etc, every president, bishop, elder, priest, teacher, 
deacon and member standing m his order and officiating 
m his standing and degree of Priesthood as ministers of the 
words of life as shepherds to watch over departments and 
sections of the flock of God in all the world, and as helps to 
strengthen the hands of the Presidency of the whole Church. 
11:135. 

The Lord Almighty leads this Church, and he will never 
suffer you to be led astray if you are found doing your 
duty. You may go home and sleep as sweetly as a babe in 
its mother's arms, as to any danger of your leaders leading 
you astray, for if they should try to do so the Lord would 
quickly sweep them from the earth. Your leaders are try- 
ing to live their religion as far as they are capable of doing 
so 9 289. 



THE PRIESTHOOD 213 

The First Presidency have of right a great influence 
over this people , and if we should get out of the way and 
lead this people to destruction, what a pity it would be! 
How can you know whether we lead you correctly or not? 
Can you know by any other power than that of the Holy 
Ghost? I have uniformly exhorted the people to obtain 
this living witness, each for themselves, then no man on 
earth can lead them estray 6*100. 

Be careful, all the world, and touch not the anointed of 
the Lord Afflict not the people who have the oracles of 
salvation for all the human family 8*195. 

To possess and retain the spirit of the Gospel, gather 
Israel, redeem Ziou, and save the world must be attended 
to first and foremost, and should be the prevailing desire 
in the hearts of the First Presidency of the Elders of Israel, 
and of every officer in the Church and Kingdom of God 
7.174. 

Perhaps it may make some of you stumble, were I to 
ask you a question — Does a man's being a Prophet in this 
Church prove that he shall be the President of it? I answer, 
No ! A man may be a Prophet, Seer, and Revelator, and it 
may have nothing to do with his being the President of 
the Church. Suffice it to say, that Joseph was the President 
of the Church, as long as he lived He always filled that 
responsible station by the voice of the people. Can you find 
any revelation appointing him the President of the Church? 
The keys of the Priesthood were committed to Joseph, to 
build up the Kingdom of God on the earth, and were not to 
be taken from him in time or m eternity,. but when he was 
called to preside over the Church, it was by the voice of the 
people; though he held the keys of the Priesthood, inde- 
pendent of their voice 1 .133. 



214 DISCOURSES OF BEIGHAM YOUNG 

I would beseech and pray the people to live so that if I 
do not magnify my office and calling, you will burn me by 
your faith and good works, and I shall be removed 7 .281 

The spirit of Joseph which fell upon me is ready to fall 
upon somebody else when I am removed 5 57. 

The first name I shall present to you is that of Brigham 
Young, President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- 
day Saints. If any person can say -that he should not be 
sustained in this office, say so. If there is no objection, as k 
is usual in the marriage ceremony of the Church of England, 
"Let them for ever afterwards hold their peace," and not go 
snivelling around, saying that you would like to have a 
better man, and one who is more capable of leading the 
Church. 7 228. 

Suppose that Sidney Rigdon and Frederick G Williams 
had been taken away or had apostatized, as one of them did 
soon after the revelation I have referred to was given, and 
there had been only Joseph Smith left of the First Presi- 
dency, would he alone have had authority to set in order 
the Kingdom of God on the earth? Yes. Again Suppose 
that eleven of the Twelve had been taken away by the 
power of the Adversary, that one Apostle has the same 
power that Joseph had, and could preach, baptize, and set 
in order the whole Kingdom of God upon the earth, as 
much so as the Twelve, were they all together. Again * If 
in the providence of God he should permit the enemy to 
destroy these two first Quorums, and then destroy the 
Quorum of the Seventy, all hut one man, what is his power? 
It would be to go and preach, baptize, confirm, lay on 
hands, ordain, set in order, build up, and establish the whole 
Kingdom of God as it is now Suppose the enemy had 
power to destroy all but one of the High Priests from the 



THE PRIESTHOOD 215 

face of the earth, what would that one possess in the power 
of his Priesthood? He would have power and authority to 
go and preach, baptize, confirm, ordain, and set in order the 
Kingdom of God in all its perfection of the earth Could he 
do this without revelation ? No Could the Seventies ? No. 
Could the Twelve? No And we ask, could Joseph Smith 
or the First Presidency do this without revelation? 
No Not one of them could do such a work without revela- 
tion direct from God I can go still further Whoever is 
ordained to the office of an Elder to a certain degree pos- 
sesses the keys of the Melchizedek Priesthood, and suppose 
only one Elder should be left on the earth, could he go and 
set m order the Kingdom of God ? Yes, by revelation 9 88 

Although Brothers Willard Richards, Heber C Kimball, 
and myself are out of the Quorum of the Twelve, our 
Apostleship has not been taken from us I preached con- 
siderable upon this subject in Nauvoo, to give the people 
the understanding of the different callings of men 6 :320. 

Many may think that a man in my standing ought to be 
perfect ; no such thing. If you would only think of it for 
a moment you would not have me perfect, for if I were 
perfect the Lord would take me to Paradise quicker than 
you would be willing to have me go there I want to stay 
with you , and I expect to be just nearly perfect enough to 
lead you on. 10:212. 

T had the promise, years ago, that I never should aposta- 
tize and bring an evil upon this people God revealed that 
through Joseph, long before he died, and if I am* not doing 
right, you may calculate that the Lord is going to take me 
home. He will not send me to hell, but he will take me 
home to himself "I will take you up here, Brigham, and 
give you a few lessons." 9*142 



216 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

(After putting the motion for himself to be sustained 
as "Prophet, Seer, and Revelator," the President re- 
marked) : 

I will say that I never dictated the latter part of that 
sentence. I make this remark, because those words in that 
connection always made me feel -as though I am called 
more than I am deserving of I am Brigham Young, an 
Apostle of Joseph Smith, and also of Jesus Christ If I have 
been profitable to this people, I am glad of it. The brethren 
call me so ; and if it be so, I am glad 5 .296. 

The Apostle and Melchizedek Priesthood — The calling 
of an Apostle is to build up the Kingdom of God in all the 
world , it is the Apostle that holds the keys of this power, 
and nobody else If an Apostle magnifies his calling, he 
is the word of the Lord to his people all the time 6*282 

It is the duty and privilege of the Twelve Apostles to 
have the Holy Ghost for their constant companion, and live 
always m the Spirit of Revelation, to know their duty and 
understand their calling; this is also the duty and privilege 
of the First Presidency of the Church. 11.135. 

I can tell you the spirit of the Twelve, which will be a 
consolation to you, and also to the Twelve. If I could see 
every one of the" Elders with their wives and children as 
obedient to every requirement made of them — the children 
to the parents, the wives to the husbands, and the husbands 
to the Priesthood — as the Twelve are — my soul would be 
happy I will say further those of the Twelve that travel 
the most and serve God, are the most obedient 10:310. 

In the last week's News I published a portion of a reve- 
lation, showing the authority of the First Presidency of the 
Church, composed at first of Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon, 
and Frederick G Williams When this revelation was 



THE PRIESTHOOD 217 

given, the two last-named brethren were Joseph Smith's 
counselors, and this First Presidency possessed the power 
and authority of building up the Kingdom of God upon all 
the earth, and of setting the Church in order m its perfec- 
tion You read in the revelation alluded to that when the 
Twelve were called and ordained, they possessed the same 
power and authority as the three First Presidents , and in 
reading further you find that there must needs be ap- 
pendages and helps growing out of this Priesthood. The 
Seventies possess the same power and authority, they 
hold the keys of establishing, building up, regulating, or- 
daining and setting in order the Kingdom of God in all its 
perfections upon the earth. We have a Quorum of High 
Priests, and there are a great many of them They are a 
local body— they tarry at home, but the Seventies travel 
and preach; so also do the High Priests, when they are 
called upon. They possess precisely the same Priesthood 
that the Seventies and the Twelve and the First Presidency 
possess ; but are they ordained to officiate in all the author- 
ity, powers, and keys of this Priesthood? No, they are 
not. Still they are High Priests of God ; and if they magni- 
fy their Priesthood, they will receive at some time all the 
authority and power that it is possible for men to receive. 
9 87. 

The Bishopric by right belongs to the literal descendants 
of Aaron, but we shall have to ordain from the other tribes, 
men who hold the High Priesthood, to act in the Lesser, 
until we find a literal descendant of Aaron, who is pre- 
pared to receive it. 

The Lesser Priesthood, then, you perceive, comes within 
the purview of the Apostleship, because a man that holds 
it has a right to act or officiate as a High Priest, as one of 



218 DISCOURSES OF BKIGHAM YOUNG 

the High Council, as a Patriarch, as a Bishop, Elder, Priest, 
Teacher, and Deacon, and m every other office and calling 
that is in the Church, from first to last, when duty demands 
it 1 136. 

Now will it cause some of you to marvel that I was not 
ordained a High Priest before I was ordained an Apostle? 
Brother Kimball and myself were never ordained High 
Priests. How wonderful! I was going to say how little 
some of the brethren understood the Priesthood, after the 
Twelve were called In our early career in this Church, 
on one occasion, in one of our Councils, we were telling 
about some of the Twelve wanting to ordain us High 
Priests, and what I said to Brother Patten when he wanted 
to ordain me m York State said I, "Brother Patten, wait 
until I can lift my hand to heaven and say, I have magnified 
the office of an Elder. After our conversation was over in 
the Council, some of the brethren began to query, and said 
we ought to be ordained High Priests ; at the same time I 
did not consider that an Apostle needed to be ordained a 
High Priest, an Elder, or a Teacher I did not express my 
views on the subject, at that time, but thought I would hear 
what brother Joseph would say about it It was William 
E McLellin who told Joseph, that I and Heber were not 
ordained High Priests, and wanted to know if it should not 
be done Said Joseph, "Will you insult the Priesthood? 
Is that all the knowledge you have of the office of an Apos- 
tle? Do you not know that the man who receives the 
Apostleship, receives all the keys that ever were, or that 
can be, conferred upon mortal man? What are you talking 
about ? I am astonished 1" Nothing more was said about 
it. 

I have tried to show you, brethren, as briefly as possible, 



THE PRIESTHOOD 219 

the order of the Priesthood. When a man is ordained to 
be an Apostle, his Priesthood is without beginning of days, 
or end of life, like the Priesthood of Melchizedek ; for it was 
his Priesthood that was spoken of in this language and not 
the man. 1 136. 

Twenty-seven years ago, on the 5th of tins month, m 
the year 1834, a company started for Kirtland to redeem 
the land of Zion Brother Heber C Kimball and my 
brother Joseph were m that camp. There had not then 
been ordained any Twelve Apostles, nor any Seventies, al- 
though there was a revelation pertaining to the Apostles 
and Seventies There were High Priests, but no High 
Priests' Quorum I am relating this as a little matter of 
history that will no doubt be interesting to those who were 
not there. 

After we returned from Missouri, my brother Joseph 
Young and myself had been singing after preaching in a 
meeting, and when the meeting was dismissed, Brother 
Joseph Smith, said, "Come, go down to my house with me." 
We went and sung to him a long time, and talked with him. 
He then opened the subject of the Twelve and Seventies 
for the first time I ever thought of it. He said, "Brethren, 
I am going to call out Twelve Apostles I think we will get 
together, by-and-by, and select Twelve Apostles, and select 
a Quorum of Seventies from those who have been up to 
Zion, out of the camp boys." In 1835 the last of January 
or in February, or about that time, we held our meetings 
from day to day, and Brother Joseph called out Twelve 
Apostles at that time. He had a revelation when we were 
singing to him Those who were acquainted with him knew 
when the Spirit of Revelation was on him, for his coun- 
tenance wore an expression peculiar to himself while under 



220 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

that influence He preached by the Spirit of Revelation, and 
taught in his council by it, and those who were acquainted 
with him could discover it at once, for at such times there 
was a peculiar clearness and transparency in his face He 
followed up that revelation until he organized the Church, 
and so along until the baptism for the dead was revealed 
9:89. 

How came these Apostles, these Seventies, these High 
Priests, and all this organization we now enjoy? It came 
by revelation. Father Cahoon, who lately died in your 
neighborhood, was one of the first ordained to the office 
of High Priest in this Kingdom In the year 1831 the 
Prophet Joseph went to Ohio. He left the State of New 
York on the last of April, if my memory serves me, and ar- 
rived m Kirtland sometime in May They held a General 
Conference, which was the first General Conference ever 
called or held m Ohio Joseph then received a revelation, 
and ordained High Priests You read in the book of Doc- 
trine and Covenants how he received the Priesthood in the 
first place It is there stated how Joseph received the 
Aaronic Priesthood. John the Baptist came to Joseph 
Smith and Oliver Cowdery When a person passes behind 
the veil, he can only officiate in the spirit-world, but when 
he is resurrected he officiates as a resurrected being, and 
not as a mortal being. You read in the revelation that 
Joseph was ordained, as it is written. When he received 
the Melchizedek Priesthood, he had another revelation 
Peter, James, and John came to him You can read the 
revelation at your leisure. When he received this revelation 
in Kirtland, the Lord revealed to him that he should begin 
and ordain High Priests , and he then ordained quite a num- 
ber, all whose names I do not now recollect; but Lyman 



THE PRIESTHOOD 221 

Wight was one, Fathers Cahoon and Morley, John Mur- 
dock, Sidney Rigdon, and others were also then ordained. 
These were the first that were ordained to this office in the 
Church. I relate this to show you how Joseph proceeded 
step by step in organizing the Church. At that time there 
were no Seventies nor Twelve Apostles 9 88-89. 

Joseph Smith never would permit the Seventies to get 
together and believe themselves a separate body from the 
rest of the Church I never cared much about this, for I 
was not a particle afraid that they would get any power 
that truly does not belong to them ; for, if they did, I was 
always satisfied that it would be blown to the four winds 
I want to inform the Seventies living in Bishop Miller's 
Ward (and what I now say applies to all the other Wards 
and Bishops) if he calls on them to act as Teachers, it is 
their imperative duty to act as Teachers, seeking to benefit 
and bless the people by enlarging their understandings, that 
they may prove themselves before God and one another 
There is a world of intelligence to impart, and the Priest- 
hood (in its various callings, appointments, helps, and gov- 
ernments) is the means, through its ministers, of imparting 
it to the people. It is not a duty of a Seventy or High 
Priest, who is appointed a Teacher or a Bishop, to neglect 
the duties of those callings to attend a Seventies' or High 
Priests' meeting Attend to the wishes of your Bishop, and 
never ask who has the most power. The man who has the 
most power with God will wield it, and earth and hell can- 
not hinder it. Every man who has true influence has ob- 
tained it before God through faithfulness, and in all such 
cases there is not the least danger but what he will have it 
before the Saints. It is the man who converses with the 
heavens, who delights in doing so, and knows for himself 



222 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

that this is the Kingdom of God, who has true influence 
9 92 

There is no retrograde movement m ordaining a High 
Priest to the office of a Bishop, for, properly speaking, he 
is set apart to act in that office. 10 96 

We shall dissolve the present High Council of this 
Stake Many of them are far advanced m years, and some 
of them live at considerable distances from this city. They 
have labored according to the best of their ability. 7.337. 

The Bishop and the Aaronic Priesthood— The office of 
a Bishop belongs to the lesser Priesthood He is the highest 
officer in the Aaronic Priesthood, and has the privilege of 
using the Unm and Thummim— has the administration of 
angels, if he has faith, and lives so that he can receive and 
enjoy the blessings Aaron enjoyed At the same time, could 
Aaron rise up and say, "I have as much power and author- 
ity as you, Moses ? " No, for Moses held the keys and 
authority above all the rest upon the earth He holds the 
keys of the Priesthood of Melchizedek, which is the Priest- 
hood of the Son of God, which holds the keys of all these 
Priesthoods, dispensing the blessings and privileges of both 
Priesthoods to the people, as he did in the days of the Chil- 
dren of Israel when he led them out of Egypt 9 87. 

I will say a few words with regard to a Bishop Ex- 
cept we find a literal descendant of Aaron, a man has to be 
ordained to the High Priesthood to administer as did Aaron 
and hip sons Can the Bishop baptize the people, according 
to his Bishopric? He can. When the people he has bap- 
tized assemble for confirmation, can he confirm them ? He 
cannot, under the power of his Bishopric; but as he has 
been ordained to the office of a High Priest, after the order 
of Melchizedek, to prepare him to act in the office of a 



THE PRIESTHOOD 223 

Bishop in the Priesthood of Aaron, when he has baptized 
the people under the authority of his Bishopric, he has a 
right as a High Priest to confirm them into the Church by 
the laying on of hands 9 280 

A Bishop in his calling and duty is with the Church all 
the time, he is not called to travel abroad to preach, but 
is at home, he is not abroad in the world, but is with the 
Saints. 2 89. 

In the capacity of a Bishop, has any person a right to 
direct the spiritual affairs of the Kingdom of God? No In 
that capacity his right is restricted to affairs in a temporal 
and moral point of view. He has a right to deal with the 
transgressor. I do not care what office a transgressor 
bears m the Church and Kingdom of God, if he should be 
one of the Twelve Apostles, and come into, a Bishop's 
neighborhood, and purloin his neighbor's books, defile his 
neighbor's bed, or commit any breach of the moral law, the 
Bishop has a right to take that man before himself and his 
council, and there hold him to answer for the crime he has 
been guilty of, and deal with him for his fellowship m the 
Church. 9 91. 

Who, then, has the greatest power? Those who best do 
the will of God When a Bishop calls upon a man to of- 
ficiate as an assistant to him, he does not call upon him as a 
Seventy or as a High Priest, but as one of his own family— 
as a member of his Ward. 9 '93. 

Instead of my believing for a moment that Paul wished 
to signify to Timothy that he must select a man to fill the 
office of a Bishop that would have but one wife, I believe 
directly the reverse; but his advice to Timothy amounts 
simply to this— -it would not be wise for you to ordam a 
man to the office of a Bishop unless he has a wife; you 



224 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

must not ordain a single or unmarried man to that calling 
2 88 

The Bishops should be a perfect example to their Wards 
in all things. 16 .44. 

Let each Bishop attend faithfully to his Ward, and see 
that every man and woman is well and faithfully and prof- 
itably employed ; that the sick and aged are properly cared 
for that none suffer Let each Bishop be a tender and in- 
dulgent father to his Ward, administering a word of com- 
fort and encouragement here, a word of advice and counsel 
there, and a word of chastisement in another place, where 
needed, without partiality, wisely judging between man and 
man, caring for and seeking earnestly the welfare of all, 
watching over the flock of God with the eye of a true shep- 
herd, that wolves and dogs may not enter among the flock 
to rend them 11 252. 

The Bishops should, through their teachers, see that 
every family in their Wards, who is able, should donate what 
they would naturally consume on the fast day to the poor. 
12:116. 

If a Bishop will act to the extent of his calling and of- 
fice, and magnify it, there will not be an individual in his 
Ward that is not employed to the best advantage. He would 
see that all lived as they should, walking humbly with their 
God. There would not be a person in his Ward that he does 
not know, and he would be acquainted with their circum- 
stances, conduct, and feeling. 8 146 

The Bishops should set those whom they have confi- 
dence In, those whom they know to be honest, to be watch- 
men on the tower, and let them find out who are suffering. 
3:245." 

There are many of the Bishops here today, and my ad- 



THE PRIESTHOOD 225 

vice to them is for them to be honest with me, to be honest 
with their God, to keep their covenants sacred, and to make 
a clean breast of all their business transactions that their 
consciences may be void of offense towards God and man. 
8.316. 

When your Bishop calls upon you, or advises you to do 
anything that will be for your good, do not call that oppres- 
sion. All the instruction he gives will be calculated to do 
you good, to raise you in that scale of intelligence that will 
make of you wise men and wise women. When we are 
recommended to do that which will lead to good, that can- 
not very well be construed into oppression. 10:313. 

If the people of a Ward are living in the faithful per- 
formance of their several duties, their faith and their 
prayers will be concentrated before the Lord, in the name 
of Jesus, for and in behalf of their Bishop, that he may 
know his business and be made fully capable to fulfil the 
duties of his calling to the honor of God and the salvation 
of the people 11:135. 

You have often heard me and my brethren say that if 
the people in the capacity of a Ward, for instance, would 
let their faith be perfectly united, and their whole desires 
rise to the Father, through the name of Jesus Christ, and 
hold their Bishop in his calling between God and them, it 
would hardly be possible for that Bishop to do wrong, for 
he would be filled with wisdom 6 98-99. 

Do our Bishops labor for pay? No, if they are not cap- 
able of getting a living and sustaining themselves and 
families, and of filling the office of Bishop without pay, they 
are hardly worthy of the Bishopric. If a High Priest is 
called to be a president or to travel and preach the Gospel 
to the nations of the earth, he must do it without pay ; and 



226 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

we thmk that any man who is not able to keep himself and 
family and travel and preach one-half or two-thirds of his 
time without being paid, is not so good a financier as he 
ought to be 14:108. 

I say to the Bishop who has just addressed us, won't 
you do as I have formerly directed you, and appoint good, 
wise, judicious men to go through your Ward, to find out 
what is in that Ward, and the situation of every family, 
whether they have money, flour, or costly clothing or 
whether they are destitute and suffering ? This is your 
business and calling Do not let there be one place, in the 
habitations of the Saints in your Wards, about which you 
are uninformed Brother Woolley has reported the circum- 
stance of a Bishop finding a woman who had been living 
upon the chanty of her neighbors, and who, at the same 
time, had valuable property, and money hid up I can re- 
fer you to scores of like circumstances, and what is more, 
to some of the Elders, those who are supposed to be among 
the best of our Elders 3 244. 

Bishops' Counselors should be examples to the Church ; 
they should be like fathers to the Church If they are really 
the Counselors of the Bishop, they should practice every- 
thing that is good that he practices , and if the Bishop him- 
self should neglect any duty, they should perform their duty 
as counselors, and should teach, guide, direct, and counsel 
the Bishop to improve m his life. 13 .275. 

The Wards will be organized hereafter , Bishops will be 
placed over them, with their two Counselors, all of whom 
will be ordained High Priests, if not already so ordained, 
and then be set apart to act in their several offices. They 
then will form a court ; and all the other quorums of Priest- 
hood will be set in order 19:43. 



THE PRIESTHOOD 227 

Church Organization and Government— The living or- 
acles of the Lord, * * * are always in the midst of his 
people. 10 302 

Teach the people true knowledge, and they will govern 
themselves 10 190 

The government of this Church is based upon true prin- 
ciples, and the reason people fall out by the way is because 
of their ignorance — because they do not thoroughly canvass 
their acts, and wisely ponder the probable results 7 :65 

We shall never have the keys of authority committed to 
us to be rulers until we will rule just as God would rule if 
he were here himself. 14 97 

But the Kingdom of heaven, when organized upon the 
earth, will have every officer, law and ordinance necessary 
for the managing of those who are unruly, or who trangress 
its laws, and to govern those who desire to do right, but 
cannot quite walk to the line, and all these powers and 
authorities are in existence in the midst of this people 
15.161. 

I am for the Kingdom of God I like a good government, 
and then I like to have it wisely and justly administered 
The government of heaven, if wickedly administered, would 
become one of the worst governments upon the face of the 
earth No matter how good a government is, unless it is 
administered by righteous men, an evil government will be 
made of it. 10 177. 

"But we thought that the government you are talking 
about was a theocratic government." It is; and it is the 
only true form of government on the earth — the only one 
that possesses all the true principles of republicanism It 
puts every man and woman right, puts everything in its 
place, and gives to each one his due according to his work; 
for so will they be judged in that day. 7 .8. 



228 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

People have reason to fear the bogus or spurious theoc- 
racy. There are but few upon the earth who do not m their 
hearts acknowledge a Supreme Being, and also believe that 
Being to be holy , and, if they could be dictated by that Being, 
and be sure that they were dictated by the influence from 
him, there are but few who would object to that influence, 
and that government 7 147. 

I wish you to build up every man who is in the faith of 
the Gospel — who is m the faith of God, angels, and good 
men, and if you strive to pull down good men who are 
around you, you are sure to fall yourselves 8 71. 

There is only one way to obtain power and influence m 
the Kingdom of God, and only one way to obtain foreknowl- 
edge, and that is to live so that that influence will come 
from our Creator, enlightening the mind and revealing 
things that are past, present and future pertaining to the 
earth and its inhabitants, and to the dealings of God with 
the children of men ; in short, there is no source of true in- 
formation outside of the Spurt of Revelation; it maketh 
manifest all things, and revealeth the dispositions of com- 
munities and of individuals By possessing this Spirit, 
mankind can obtain power that is durable, beneficial, and 
that will result in a higher state of knowledge, of honor and 
of glory. This can be obtained only by strictly marking the 
path of truth, and walking faithfully therein. 10:104. 

It is the right and privilege of every Elder in Israel 
to enjoy the Holy Ghost, and the light of it, to know every- 
thing which concerns himself and his individual duties, but 
it is not his right and privilege to dictate his superior in 
office, nor to give him counsel, unless he is called upon to 
do so, then he may make suggestions. 11 135 

Now ask yourselves, and let me ask you, who has been 



THE PRIESTHOOD 229 

to you, individually, and told you to vote just as you have 
voted here today? Has any man visited your habitations 
to tell you that when you come to this house you must all 
vote precisely alike? I will pause right here and will re- 
quest that, if any person present has been so instructed, he 
or she will let us know it. I do not see any person rise, and 
I need not look for any one to do so, from the simple fact 
that not a word on this subject has been said to the Latter- 
day Saints Our doctrine is true and we like it ; our faith 
is one and we are one in it, our object is one and we unit- 
edly pursue the straight and narrow path that leads to it 
14 91. 

If the time was that the Elders of Israel could not be 
chastened and corrected for their wrongs, and be set right, 
you may know that they have proved recreant to the faith 
And if those who are appointed to lead this people dare not 
rise up and tell them of their iniquity and chastise them 
therefor, and teach them the way of life and salvation, you 
may know that your leaders have fallen from their station. 
5 124 

We will first present the Authorities of the Church; and 
I sincerely request the members to act freely and inde- 
pendently in voting — also in speaking if it be necessary 
There has been no instance in this Church of a person's 
being in the least curtailed in the privilege of speaking his 
honest sentiments. It cannot be shown in the history of this 
people that a man has ever been injured, either in person, 
property, or character, for openly expressing, in the proper 
time and place, his objections to any man holding authority 
m this Church, or for assigning his reasons for such ob- 
jections Persons have frequently ruined their own char- 
acters by making false accusations. 7:227-228. 



230 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

Our ecclesiastical government is the government of 
heaven 

No being possesses intelligence, in any degree, that he 
has not received from the God of heaven, or, in other words, 
from the Fountain of all intelligence, whether he acknowl- 
edges his God in it or not. No man, independent of the 
Great Ruler of the universe, is capable of devising that 
which we see and are well acquainted with. All mechan- 
ism, good government, wholesome principle, and true phil- 
osophy of whatever name or nature, flows from God to 
finite man. What for? To determine what he will do with 
it It is for his improvement and advancement in the arts 
of civilized life, morality, and true religion. This has been 
taught you from the beginning as the unmistakable features 
of our holy religion 7 141 

Let the Presidents and Apostles and Eldeis do the work 
the Lord has set them to do, and obey the counsel which 
is given them, and the Kingdom will continue to roll, to in- 
crease in strength, in importance, in magnitude and in 
power, in wisdom, intelligence and glory; and no one need 
be concerned, for it is the Kingdom which the Lord our God 
has established, and has sustained by his matchless wisdom 
and power from the beginning to this day 11 *253 

It is a common adage, "Old men for counsel, &nd young 
men for war " Until men born m the Priesthood grow old 
therein in faithfulness, I would say, with comparatively few 
exceptions, "Young men for counsel, and young men for 
war." For knowledge and understanding, I would rather, as 
a general thing, select young men from eighteen years of 
age — the sons of men who have been in this Church from 
the beginning, than to select their fathers. Their minds have 



THE PRIESTHOOD 231 

been but little, if any, trammeled with erroneous traditions 
and teachings. Let the yoke of the Gospel be put upon 
those young men Brother Joseph referred to m his remaiks, 
who have been sowing their wild oats for, years, and they 
are generally better and more correct in the offices of the 
Priesthood than many of the gray-haired fathers They 
understand more about God, about Jesus Christ, and the 
government of God on the earth, than do many of the fath- 
ers and grand-fathers. 7*335 

It is true that under some circumstances we may have 
to look at the others. For instance, here is the High Coun- 
cil, they are called to act upon cases that come before them 
Of course their duty, then, is to examine into the conduct of 
their brethren and sisters; and this is required of them 
And if they do it without prejudice, without selfishness, by 
the power of the Holy Ghost, divested of every improper 
feeling, judging righteous judgment between man and man, 
the performance of this duty will purify them just as 
much any other labor. 11 :292. 

It may be considered that we are a mixed congregation, 
consisting of Bishops, Seventies, High Priests, Elders, the 
Twelve, and the First Presidency; but I consider we are, 
strictly speaking, a meeting of the Elders of Israel ; for if 
we were to be instructed in the duties of any one of these 
Quorums, that instruction would be equally good for all 
6-314 

High Councilors, do you have any trials before you? 
"Yes " Have the brethren complained of each other? "Yes." 
Are their feelings alienated one from the other? Is there 
a party spirit manifested in the Council? "Sometimes." Do 
the brethren go off satisfied with the decisions of the Coun- 
cil? Bishops, do you have any trials? Are the feelings of 



232 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

the brethren in your Wards alienated ? "Yes." What should 
they do in such cases? They should follow the rules laid 
down, and be reconciled to their brethren forthwith I 
think that it can be shown that the great majority of dif- 
ficulties between brethren arises from misunderstandings 
rather than from malice and a wicked heart, and instead of 
talking the matter over with each other in a saint-like spirit, 
they will contend with each other until a real fault is 
created, and they have brought a sin upon themselves. 
When we have done good ninety-nine times and then do an 
evil, how common it is, my brethren and sisters, to look at 
that one evil all the day long and never think of the good 
Before we judge each other we should look at the design 
of the heart, and if it is evil, then chasten that individual, 
and take a course to bring him back again to righteousness 
12:173. 

When you are rebuked by each other — when brethren 
meet you and say, "This is wrong in you," you should re- 
ceive it kindly, and express your thanks for the reproof, and 
acknowledge the wrong frankly, and admit that you may 
frequently do wrong when you do not know it, and say, 
"I wish you to enlighten my mind, to take me by the hand, 
and let me go along hand-in-hand and strengthen and su- 
stain each other." What, in your weaknesses ? Yes Do 
you expect to see a perfect man? Not while you stay here 
8-367. 

You may, figuratively speaking, pound one Elder over 
the head with a club, and he does not know but what you 
have handed him a straw dipped in molasses to suck There 
are others, if you speak a word to them, or take a straw 
and chasten them, whose hearts are broken; they are as 
tender in their feelings as an infant, and will melt like wax 



THE PRIESTHOOD 233 

before the flame You must not chasten them severely; 
you must chasten according to the spirit that is in the per- 
son. Some you may talk to all day long, and they do not 
know what you are talking about There is a great 
variety. Treat people as they are 8 367. 

Just a few words to the Presidency of this Stake of Zion 
It is now their duty to see that the officers within their 
jurisdiction perform their several duties, it is sufficient 
work for them, too, if they will attend to it The High 
Council, I hope, will not have much business to do. I am 
told that there have only been three cases during the last 
twenty-three years, that have gone for trial before the High 
Council from Farmington That is doing very well. To the 
now actkig Bishops, who will be ordained Bishops, as well 
as to Brother Hess, who I believe is the only ordained 
Bishop in the county, I will say that you will now be re- 
quired to look after your several Wards more assiduously 
than heretofore ; see that Teachers are diligent in the per- 
formance of their duties, and that all difficulties that may 
arise among the brethren of the Ward 'be settled, if pos- 
sible, by the Teachers ; and also see that all who claim mem- 
bership in this Church observe the moral law of our re- 
ligion We shall not expect to hear of people breaking the 
Sabbath, and a hundred other things all of which are in- 
consistent with our holy callings, and opposed to the ac- 
complishment of the work that the Father has given us to 
do. You are called upon now to make yourselves familiar 
with the revelations and commandments that have been 
given us of the Lord for our perfection, for our sanctifica- 
tion preparatory to our exaltation, and so live that our acts 
and conversations may conform to the same You are 
called upon now to improve your ways, to seek with all 



234 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

earnestness for an increase of faith that you may live ac- 
cording to the higher laws, which is your privilege to do, 
and which is so necessary for our peace and comfort and 
for the good order of society and for the salvation of the 
Latter-day Saints. 19 43. 



CHAPTER XIII 
THE FIRST PRINCIPLES OF THE GOSPEL 

Importance of the Principles of the Gospel — By faith- 
fully attending to the first principles of the Gospel laid 
down in the New Testament, you are introduced into the 
knowledge of the works of God in the dispensation of the 
fulness of time. 1 -244. 

To understand the first principles of the Gospel — to 
rightly understand them, a man must have the wisdom that 
comes from above; he must be enlightened by the Holy 
Ghost; his mind must be in open vision; he must enjoy the 
blessings of salvation himself, in order to impart them to 
others. 6:283. 

Need of Ordinances — There is no ordinance that God has 
delivered by his own voice, through his Son Jesus Christ, 
or by the mouths of any of his Prophets, Apostles or 
Evangelists, that is useless Every ordinance, every com- 
mandment and requirement is necessary for the salvation 
of the human family. 13 :215, 

With regard to the ordinances of God, we may remark 
that we yield obedience to them because he requires it; 
and every iota of his requirements has a rational philos- 
ophy with it. We do not get up things on a hypothesis. 
That philosophy reaches to all eternity, and is the philos- 
ophy that the Latter-day Saints believe in. Every particle 
of truth that every person has received is a gift of God. 
We receive these truths, and go on from glory to glory, 
from eternal lives to eternal lives, gaining a knowledge of 
all things, and becoming Gods, even Sons of God. These 
are the celestial ones. These are they whom the Lord has 



236 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

chosen through their obedience They have not spurned 
the truth, when they have heard it. These are they that 
have not spurned the Gospel, but have acknowledged Jesus 
and God in their true character, that have acknowledged 
the angels in their true character These are they that 
work for the salvation of the human family. 19.50. 

Because we believe m the ordinance of baptism, the or- 
dinance of the sacrament is not to be done away. To learn 
that, if you believe in the laying on of hands for the recep- 
tion of the Holy Ghost, you are not to deny the laying on 
of hands for the healing of the sick. It is not for people to 
take only part of the religion of Christ, and say, "It is all 
we require," but take the whole truth wherever you find 
it. It is good ; claim it, take it to yourself, and cleave to it, 
for it will do you good. Cease to separate truth from truth 
8:260. 

However much we may profess attachment to God and 
his cause we are not entitled to the blessings and privileges 
of his Kingdom until we become citizens therein How can 
we do this? By repenting of our sins, and obeying the re- 
quirements of the Gospel of the 'Son of God which has been 
delivered to us. Hundreds and thousands of people have be- 
lieved on the Lord Jesus Christ and repented of their sins, 
and have had the Holy Spirit to witness unto them that God 
is love, that they loved him and that he loved them, and 
yet they are not m his Kingdom. They have not complied 
with the necessary requirements, they have not entered in 
at the door. 13 .57. 

Faith — The Gospel that we preach is the power of God 
unto salvation ; and the first principle of that Gospel is, as 
I have already said, faith in God, and faith in Jesus Christ 
his Son, our Savior We must believe that he is the char- 



THE FIRST PRINCIPLES OF THE GOSPEL 237 

acter he is represented to be in the Holy Scriptures. Believe 
that he told the truth when he said to his disciples, "Go ye 
forth and preach the Gospel to every creature; he that be- 
lieveth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth 
not shall be damned." We must believe that this same 
Jesus was crucified for the sins of the world, that is for the 
original sin, not the actual individual transgressions of the 
people ; not but that the blood of Christ will cleanse from all 
sin, all who are disposed to act their part by repentance, 
and faith in his name. But the original sin was atoned for 
by the death of Christ, although its effects we still see in 
the diseases, distempers and every species of wickedness 
with which the human family is afflicted. 13 .143. 

Faith is an eternal principle; belief is an admission of 
the fact. Faith, to us, is the gift of God ; belief is inherent 
in the children of men, and is the foundation for the recep- 
tion of faith. Belief and unbelief are independent in men, 
the same as other attributes. Men can acknowledge or re- 
ject, turn to the right or to the left, rise up or remain seated, 
you can say that the Lord and his Gospel are not worthy of 
notice, or you can bow to them. 8:16. - 

Belief is inherent in the creature — implanted within him 
for his use and benefit — to believe or disbelieve. Your own 
experience may satisfy you that faith is not brought into 
requisition by the presentation of either facts or falsehoods 
to the external senses, or to the inward perceptions of the 
mind. If we speak of faith in the abstract, it is the power 
of God by which the worlds are and were made, and is a gift 
of God to those who believe and obey his commandments. 
On the other hand, no living, intelligent being, whether 
serving God or not, acts without belief. He might as well 
undertake to live without breathing as to live without the 



238 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

principle of belief But he must believe the truth, obey the 
truth, and practice the truth, to obtain the power of God 
called faith. 8.259-260. 

When men are in the habit of philosophising upon every 
point, only relying upon what we call human reason, they 
are constantly liable to error. But place a man in a situa- 
tion where he is obliged or compelled, in order to sustain 
himself, to have faith in the name of Jesus Christ, and it 
brings him to a point where he will know for himself , and 
happy are those who pass through trials, if they maintain 
their integrity and their faith to their calling 7:158. 

When you believe the principles of the Gospel and at- 
tain unto faith, which is a gift of God, he adds more faith, 
adding faith to faith He bestows faith upon his creatures 
as a gift ; but his creatures inherently possess the privilege 
of believing the Gospel to be true or false 8:17 

If the people will only be full of good works, I will in- 
sure that they will have faith in time of need. 3 154 

There is no saving faith merely upon the principles of 
believing or acknowledging a fact Take a course to let the 
Spirit of God leave your hearts, and every soul of you would 
apostatize. 7 :55. 

It is the easiest thing in the world to believe the truth. 
It is a great deal easier to believe truth than error. It is 
easier to defend the truth than to defend error. 19:42. 

We are under obligation to trust in our God, and this 
is the ground-work of all we can do ourselves. 4 356 

The first principle of the Gospel is faith in God— faith 
in a Supreme Being. This is a point that meets the infidel, 
and is one upon which I have reflected and talked a great 
deal, and I have come to this conclusion — that good, solid, 
sound sense teaches me never to judge a matter until I 



THE FIRST PRINCIPLES OF THE GOSPEL 239 

understand it, and infidels should never pass their opinion 
with regard to the character of a Supreme Being until they 
know whether there is one or not. If this principle were 
an article in the creed of the infidel world, I think they 
would not be quite so sceptical as they are; I think we 
should not meet with any person who would deny the ex- 
istence of a Deity. The infidel looks abroad and sees the 
works of nature, in all their diversity— the mountain pierc- 
ing the clouds with its snowy peaks, the mighty river, 
fertilizing, in its course to the sea, the valleys and plains in 
every direction, the sun in his glory at mid-day, the moon 
in her silvery splendor, and the myriad organizations from 
man to the minutest form of insect life, all giving the most 
irrefutable evidence of a Designer and Creator of infinite 
wisdom, skill and power, and yet he says there is no Deity, 
no Supreme Ruler, but all is the result of blind chance 
How preposterous ' Now, here is a book called the Bible 
It is enclosed in what we call the cover, consisting of 
boards, paper and leather. Within the covers we see a 
vast amount of writing — syllables, words and sentences; 
now if we say there never was a person to compose, write, 
print or bind this book, but that it is here wholly as the 
result of chance, we shall only give expression to the faith, 
if faith it can be called, of those -who are termed infidels, in 
fact this is infidelity I do not want to say much about it, 
it is too vainl 13.142. 

When you read the revelations, or when you hear the 
will of the Lord concerning you, for your own sakes never 
receive that with a doubtful heart* 3 :336. 

To explain how much confidence we should have in 
God, were I using a term to suit myself, I should say implied 
confidence I have faith in my God, and that faith corresponds 



240 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

with the works I produce. I have no confidence m faith without 
works. 4.24. 

My faith is, when we have done all we can, then the 
Lord is under obligation, and will not disappoint the faith- 
ful , he will perform the rest. 4 *91 

A great many good people, who possess much of the 
Spirit of the Lord, are naturally given to doubting, having 
so little self-reliance that fhey sometimes doubt whether 
they are Saints in truth or not. These often doubt when 
they should not. So long as they are walking humbly be- 
fore God, keeping his commandments, and observing his 
ordinances, feeling willing to give all for Christ, and do 
everything that will promote his Kingdom, they need never 
doubt, for the Spirit will testify to them whether they are 
of God or not. There are some who are always fearful, 
trembling, doubting, wavering, and at the same time doing 
everything they can for the promotion of righteousness. 
Yet, they are m doubt whether they are doing the best 
possible good, and they fear and fail here and there, and 
will doubt their own experience and the witness of the 
Spirit to them. 12:169. 

When a person is placed in circumstances that he can- 
not possibly obtain one particle of anything to sustain life, 
it would then be his privilege to exercise faith in God to 
feed him, who might cause a raven to pick up a piece of 
dried meat from some quarter where there was plenty, and 
drop it over the famishing man. When I cannot feed my- 
self through the means God has placed in my power, it is 
then time enough for him to exercise his providence in an 
unusual manner to administer to my wants. But while we 
can help ourselves, it is our duty to do so. If a Saint of 
God be locked up in prison, by his enemies, to starve- to 



THE FIRST PRINCIPLES OF THE GOSPEL 241 

death, it is then time enough for God to interpose, and feed 
him 1 .108 

Are you full of faith ? You can tell whether I am or not 
by looking at me You can tell whether the brethren who 
have been speaking to you are full of faith in the Gospel 
by the look of their countenances You can see this if there 
is not a word spoken ; we can tell by our feelings when we 
look at a congregation whether they have faith or not. I 
see there is a great amount of faith in the midst of the 
Latter-day Saints, and I wish there was a little -more pa- 
tience and obedience 15.37. 

If the Latter-day Saints will walk up to their privileges, 
and exercise faith in the name of Jesus Christ, and live in 
the enjoyment of the fulness of the Holy Ghost constantly 
day by day, there is nothing on the face of the earth that 
they could ask for, that would not be given to them. The 
Lord is waiting to be very gracious unto this people, and 
to pour out upon them riches, honor, glory and power, even 
that they may possess all things according to the promises 
he has made through his Apostles and Prophets 11:114. 

When faith springs up in the heart, good works will 
follow, and good works will increase that pure faith within 
them. 3:155. 

The expression, "true believer," needs qualifying, for 
many believe who do not obey — I will qualify it by saying, 
a believer in Jesus Christ, who manifests his faith to God, 
angels, and his brethren, by his obedience. Not but that 
there are believers who do not obey, but the only true be- 
lievers are they who prove their belief by their obedience 
to the requirements of the Gospel 1 *234 

Our Heavenly Father does not always reveal to his chil- 
dren the secret workings of his providences, nor doe? he 



242 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

show them the end from the beginning, for they have to 
learn to trust in him who has promised to fight our battles, 
and crown us with victory, if we are faithful as was faith- 
ful Abraham 11 13 

Repentance— Sin consists in doing wrong when we know 
and can do better, and it will be punished with a just 
retribution, m the due time of the Lord. 2.133 

Though we may do the best we know how at this time, 
can there be no improvement made in our lives? There 
can If we do wrong ignorantly, when we learn it is wrong, 
then it is our duty to refrain from that wrong immediately 
and for ever, and the sin of ignorance is winked at, and 
passes into oblivion 2:130 

When men truly and heartily repent, and make manifest 
to the heavens that their repentance is genuine by obedi- 
ence to the requirements made known to them through the 
laws of the Gospel, then are they entitled to the adminis- 
tration of salvation, and no power can withhold the good 
spirit from them. 10 'IS 

Now, my brethren, you who have sinned, repent of your 
sins. I can say to you m regard to Jebus and the atonement 
(it is so written, and I firmly believe it), that Christ has 
died for all He has paid the full debt, whether you receive 
the gift or not But if we continue to sin, to lie, steal, bear 
false witness, we must repent of and forsake that sin to 
have the full efficacy of the blood of Christ Without this 
it will be of no effect , repentance must come, m order that 
the atonement may prove a benefit to us Let all who are 
doing wrong cease doing wrong, live no longer in trans- 
gression, no matter of what kind , but live every day of your 
lives according to the revelations given, and so that your 
examples may be worthy of imitation. Let us remember 



THE FIRST PRINCIPLES OF THE GOSPEL 243 

that we never get beyond the purview of our religion— 
never, never! 11 375. 

Some of our old traditions teach us that a man guilty of 
atrocious and murderous acts may savingly repent when 
on the scaffold, and upon his execution will hear the ex- 
pression, "Bless God 1 he has gone to heaven, to be crowned 
in glory, through the all-redeeming merits of Christ the 
Lord " This is all nonsense Such a character never will 
see heaven Some will pray, "0 that I had passed through 
the veil on the night of my conversion '" This proves the 
false ideas and vain notions entertained by the Christian 
world. 8 61. 

When I first came into the Church it was a subject of 
considerable thought to me why people whom I knew to 
be as good and moral as they could be, should have to re- 
pent. But 1 could see afterwards that if they had nothing 
else to repent of they could and ought to repent of their 
false religions, of their narrow, contracted creeds in which 
they were bound, of the ordinances of men, and get some- 
thing better. These narrow, contracted religions have 
spread infidelity in the world They should repent of these 
and take hold of the things of God and receive the truths 
of heaven. "Well," say the ministers, "we have lived ac- 
cording to the light we have received " We say, are you 
willing to receive more? If so, here is more for you. So 
far as your faith in Christ goes, and your morality, we say, 
Amen But here is something more 16:43. 

The Savior has warned us to be careful how we judge, 
forgiving each other seven times seventy in a day, if we 
repent, and confess our sins one to another. Can we be 
more merciful and forgiving than our Father in Heaven ? 
We cannot. Therefore let people do the best they can, and 



244 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

they will pave the way for the rising generation to walk 
up into the light, wisdom, and knowledge of the angels, 
and of the redeemed from this earth, to say nothing of other 
earths, and they will be prepared to enjoy in the resurrec- 
tion all the blessings which are for the faithful, and enjoy 
them in the flesh. 2.132. 

We should never cease reforming and seeking to the 
Lord our God. 4.269. 

All I have ever asked for or contended for is a reforma- 
tion in the life of this people; that the thief should stop his 
stealing, the swearer his swearing, the liar his lying, the 
deceiver his deceiving, and the man who loves the world 
more than his God and his religion wean his affections from 
those objects and place them where they of right belong 
I do not wish anybody to cherish a wild enthusiasm, so 
common in the world, which is produced by the excitement 
of animal passions, and makes people weep and cry out in 
an insane manner. I wish the people to make themselves 
acquainted with facts pertaining to God, to heaven, to man- 
kind upon the earth, their errand here, for what they are 
created, the nature of their organization, who has power 
over them, who controls them, how much they can control 
themselves, etc., etc. ; and then let us see whether we can 
be men and conduct ourselves like Saints, or live and act 
like the wicked 9.103. 

Keep your follies that do not concern others to your- 
selves, and keep your private wickedness as still as possi- 
ble ; hide it from the eyes of the public gaze as far as you 
can. I wish to say this upon this particular point in regard 
to people's confessing We wish to see people honestly 
confess as they should and what they should. 8 362. 



THE FIRST PRINCIPLES OF THE GOSPEL 245 

If I have injured any person, I ought to confess to that 
person and make right what I did wrong. 8.361. 

But if you have stolen your neighbor's cattle, own it, and 
restore the property, with fourfold if it is requested If you 
have taken your neighbor's spade, own it, and return it, 
with fourfold if he requires it I believe in coming out and 
being plain and honest with that which should be made 
public, and in keeping to yourselves that which should be 
kept. If you have your weaknesses, keep them hid from 
your brethren as much as you can. You never hear me ask 
the people to tell their follies But when we ask the 
brethren, as we frequently do, to speak in sacrament meet- 
ings, we wish them, if they have injured their neighbors, 
to confess their wrongs, but do not tell about your non- 
sensical conduct that nobody knows of but yourselves. Tell 
to the public that which belongs to the public If you have 
sinned against the people, confess to them. If you have 
sinned against a family or a neighborhood, go to them and 
confess. If you have sinned against your Ward, confess to 
your Ward If you have sinned against one individual, take 
that person by yourselves and make your confession to 
him. And if you have sinned against your God, or against 
yourselves, confess to God, and keep the matter to your- 
selves, for I do not want to know anything about it. 8:362. 

Baptism— We, the Latter-day Saints, believe in being 
baptized by immersion for the remission of sins, according 
to the testimony of the disciples of Jesus and the revela- 
tions of the Lord given in these last days. Infants are pure, 
they have neither sorrow of heart, nor sins to repent of and 
forsake, and consequently are incapable of being baptized 
for the remission of sin. If we have sinned, we must know 
good from evil; an infant does not know this, it cannot 



246 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

know it , it has not grown into the idea of contemplation of 
good and evil ; it has not the capacity to listen to the parent 
or teacher or to the priest when they tell what is right or 
wrong or what is injurious; and until these things are 
understood a person cannot be held accountable and conse- 
quently cannot be baptized for the remission of sin 13 237 

The Lord has instituted laws and ordinances, and all 
have their peculiar design and meaning And though we 
may not know the origin of the necessity of being baptized 
for the remission of sins, it answers that portion of the law 
we are now under to teach the people in their ignorance that 
water is designed for purification, and to instruct them to 
be baptized therein for the remission of their sins If the 
people could fully understand this matter, they would per- 
ceive that it is perfectly reasonable and has been the law 
to all worlds. 7 162-163. 

What is required of us as soon as we come to the years 
of accountability? It is required of us, for it is an institu- 
tion of heaven, the origin of which you and I cannot tell, 
for the simple reason that it has no beginning, it is from 
eternity to eternity — it is required of us to go down into 
the waters of baptism Here is a fountain or element, 
typical of the purity of the eternities Go down into the 
waters, and there be baptized for the remission of sins, and 
then have hands laid upon us to confirm us members of the 
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Then receive 
the Spirit of Truth, or the Holy Ghost Then live accord- 
ing to every word that proceed* out of the mouth of God, 
through those men whom he has appointed here upon the 
earth, until we are perfect. 19 48 

If you have been righteous from your birth up, and 
have never committed known sins and transgressions, be 



THE FIRST PRINCIPLES OF THE GOSPEL 247 

baptized to fulfil all righteousness, as Jesus was If you 
can say you have no sins to repent of, forsake your false 
theories, and love and serve God with an undivided heart 
14 281. 

Has water, in itself, any virtue to wash away sin? Cer- 
tainly not, but the Lord said, "If the sinner will repent of 
his sins, and go down into the waters of baptism, and there 
be buried m the likeness of being put into the earth and 
buried, and again be delivered from the water, in the like- 
ness of being born — if in the sincerity of his heart he will 
do this, his sins shall be washed away. Will the water of 
itself wash thern away? No; but keeping the command- 
ments of God will cleanse away the stam of sin 2 4. 

In the beginning God cursed the earth ; but did he curse 
all things pertaining to it ? No, he did not curse the water, 
but he blessed it. Pure water is cleansing — it serves to 
purify , and you are aware that the ancient Saints were very 
tenacious with regard to their purification by water From 
the beginning the Lord instituted water for that purpose 
among others I do not mean from the beginning of this 
earth alone, and although we have no immediate concern 
in inquiring into the organization of other earths that do 
not come withm reach of our investigation, yet I will say 
that water has been the means of purification in every 
world that has been organized out of the immensity of 
matter. 7.162. 

All Latter-day Saints enter the new and everlasting 
covenant when they enter this Church. They covenant to 
cease sustaining, upholding and cherishing the kingdom of 
the Devil and the kingdoms of this world They enter the 
new and everlasting covenant to sustain the Kingdom of 
God and no other kingdom They take a vow of the most 



248 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

solemn kind, before the heavens and earth, and that, too, 
upon the validity of their own salvation, that they will sus- 
tain truth and righteousness instead of wickedness and 
falsehood, and build up the Kingdom of God, instead of the 
kingdoms of this world. 12 230. 

You have not the power to baptize yourselves, neither 
have you power to resurrect yourselves ; and you could not 
legally baptize a second person for the remission of sins 
until some person first baptized you and ordained you to 
this authority 6 275. 

Gift of the Holy Ghost— In the New Testament and 
Book of Mormon, we learn that when the Gospel is 
preached the people are taught to believe on the Lord Jesus 
Christ, to repent of their sins, be baptized for the remis- 
sion of sin, and receive the Holy Ghost by the laying on 
of hands; the Holy Ghost is then the special gift of the 
Father and is his minister He also gives intelligence by 
angels, as well as by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and 
by opening the minds of the Saints to behold in vision 
things as they are in eternity. When true doctrines are 
advanced, though they may be new to the hearers, yet the 
principles contained therein are perfectly natural and easy 
to be understood, so much so that the hearers often imagine 
that they had always known them This arises from the in- 
fluence of the Spirit of Truth upon the spirit of intelligence 
that is within each person. The influence that comes from 
heaven is all the time teaching the children of men 9 254 

We believe we are entitled to the gift of the Holy Ghost 
in extent according to the discretion and wisdom of God 
and our faithfulness; which gift brings all things to our 
remembrance, past, present, and to come, that are neces- 
sary for us to know, and as far as our minds are prepared 



THE FIRST PRINCIPLES OF THE GOSPEL 249 

to receive the knowledge of God revealed by that all-wise 
Agent. The Holy Ghost is God's minister, and is dele- 
gated to visit the sons and daughters of men. All intelli- 
gent beings pertaining to this earth are instructed from 
the same source. 9:254. 

The Holy Ghost reveals unto you things past, present, 
and to come , it makes your minds quick and vivid to under- 
stand the handiwork of the Lord Your joy is made full 
in beholding the footsteps of our Father going forth among 
the inhabitants of the earth ; this is invisible to the world, 
but it is made visible to the Saints, and they behold the 
Lord in his providences, bringing forth the work of the 
last days 4:22. 

My knowledge is, if you will follow the teachings of 
Jesus Christ and his Apostles, as recorded in the New 
Testament, every man and woman will be put in possession 
of the Holy Ghost; every person will become a Prophet, 
Seer, and Revelator, and an expounder of truth. They will 
know things that are, that will be, and that have been 
They will understand things in heaven, things on the earth, 
and things under the earth, things of time, and things of 
eternity, according to their several callings and capacities. 
1 243. 

There is a variety of blessings, a different blessing 
being probably given to one, two, three or four of this con- 
gregation. Thus, one will have faith to lay hands upon the 
sick and rebuke disease, and drive it from the person af- 
flicted Many may receive this blessing of faith, the gift 
of healing Some may receive faith to the discerning of 
spirits; they can discern the spirit of a person, whether it 
is good or evil. They have such power that when a persbn 
enters this congregation they can tell the spirit of such 



250 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

person, then they have received the gift of discerning of 
spirits. Some may receive the gift of tongues, that they 
will get up and speak m tongues, and speak in many other 
languages beside their mother tongue, the language that 
they were brought up in, that they were first taught, and 
be able to proclaim the Gospel of life and salvation that all 
men could understand it These are the blessings, but 
others might receive the gift of prophecy, get up and 
prophesy what is to befall this nation, what will befall this 
or that individual, and what will befall the different na- 
tions of the earth, etc. 16.164. 

The gifts of the Gospel are given to strengthen the faith 
of the believer. 10.324. 

Suppose you obey the ordinances of the Gospel, and 
do not speak m tongues today, never mind that. Suppose 
you do not have the spirit of prophecy, no matter Suppose 
you do not receive any particular gift attended by the rush- 
ing of a mighty wind, as on the day of Pentecost, there is 
no particular necessity that you should On the day of 
Pentecost there was special need for it, it was a peculiarly 
trying time. Some special and powerful manifestation of 
the power of the Almighty was necessary to open the eyes 
of the -.people and let them know that Jesus has paid the 
debt, and that they had actually crucified him who, by his 
death, had become the Savior of the world. It required 
this at that time to convince the people 14 114 

The gift of seeing with the 'natural eyes is just as much 
a gift as the gift of tongues The Lord gave that gift and 
we can do as we please with regard to seeing, we can use 
the sight of the eye to the glory of God, or to our own 
destruction 3 .364 

The gift of communicating one wit\ another is the gift 



THE FIRST PRINCIPLES OF THE GOSPEL 251 

of God, just as much so as the gift of prophecy, of discern- 
ing spirits, of tongues, of healing, or any other gift, though 
sight, taste, and speech, are so generally bestowed that they 
are not considered in the same miraculous light as are those 
gifts mentioned in the Gospel. 

We can use these gifts and every other gift God has 
given us, to the praise and gflory of God, to serve him, or 
we can use them to dishonor him and his cause; we can 
use the gift of speech to blaspheme his name. 3 :364. 

Healing the Sick — We lay hands on the sick and wish 
them to be healed, and pray the Lord to heal them, but we 
cannot always say that he will. " 4 :284. 

I am here to testify to hundreds of instances, of men, 
women, and children being healed by the power of God, 
through the laying on of hands, and many I have seen 
raised from the gates of death, and brought back from the 
verge of eternity ; and some whose spirits had actually left 
their bodies, returned again. I testify that I have seen the 
sick healed by the laying on of hands, according to the 
promise of the Savior. 1 :240. 

When I lay hands on the sick, I expect the healing power 
and influence of God to pass through me to the patient, 
and the disease to give way. I do not say that I heal every- 
body I lay hands on ; but many have been healed under my 
administration. Jesus said, on one occasion, "Who has 
touched me?" A woman had crept up behind him in the 
crowd, and touched the hem of his garment, and he knew 
it, because Virtue had gone from him. Do you see the rea- 
son and propriety of laying hands on each other? When we 
are prepared, when we are holy vessels before the Lord, 
a stream of power from the Almighty can pass through the 
tabernacle of the administrator to the system of the patient, 



252 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

and the sick are made whole ; the headache, fever or other 
disease has to give way. My brethren and sisters, there is 
virtue in us if we will do right, if we live our religion we 
are the temples of God wherein he will dwell ; if we defile 
ourselves, these temples God will destroy 14 72. 

Instead of calling for a doctor you should administer to 
them by the laying on of hands and anointing with oil, and 
give them mild food, and herbs, and medicines that you un- 
derstand , and if you want the mind and will of God at such 
a time, get it, it is just as much your privilege as of any 
other member of the Church and Kingdom of God It is 
your privilege and duty to live so that you know when the 
word of the Lord is spoken to you and when the mind of 
the Lord is revealed to you. I say it is your duty to live 
so as to know and understand all these things 18 71. 

Many people are unwilling to do one thing for them- 
selves in case of sickness, but ask God to do it all. 4 25 

I am sent for continually, though I only go occasionally, 
because it is a privilege of every father, who is an Elder in 
Israel, to have faith to heal his family, just as much so as 
it is my privilege to have faith to heal my family ; and if 
he does not do it he is not living up to his privilege. It is 
just as reasonable for- him to ask me to cut his wood and 
maintain his family, for if he had faith himself he would 
save me the trouble of leaving other duties to attend to his 
request 3 :46 

You may go to some people here, and ask what ails 
them, and they answer, "I don't know, but we feel a dread- 
ful distress in the stomach and in the back; we feel all out 
of order, and we wish you to lay hands on us " "Have you 
used any remedies?" No. "We wish the Eiders to lay 
hands upon us, and we have faith that we shall be healed " 



THE FIRST PRINCIPLES OF THE GOSPEL 253 

That is very inconsistent according to my faith If we are 
sick, and ask the Lord to heal us, and to do all for us that 
is necessary to be done, according to my understanding of 
the Gospel of salvation, I might as well ask the Lord to 
cause my wheat and corn to grow, without my plowing the 
ground and casting in the seed. It appears consistent to 
me to apply every remedy that comes within the range of 
my knowledge, and to ask my Father in Heaven, in the 
name of Jesus Christ, to sanctify that application to the 
healing of my body; to another this may appear incon- 
sistent. 

But supposing we were traveling in the mountains, and 
all we had or could get, in the shape of nourishment, was a 
little venison, and one or two were taken sick, without any- 
thing in the world in the shape of healing medicine within 
our reach, what should we do ? According to my faith, ask 
the Lord Almighty to send an angel to heal the sick. This 
is our privilege, when so situated that we cannot get any- 
thing to help ourselves. Then the Lord and his servants 
can do all. But it is my duty to do, wher I have it in mv 
power. 4 :24. 



CHAPTER XIV 
THE SABBATH; MEETINGS; THE SACRAMENT 

How to Spend the Sabbath Day— Spend the Sabbath 
day prudently, in the love and fear of God. 19 65 

Persons professing to be Saints should assemble them- 
selves together on the Lord's day, except those who may be 
necessarily detained at home to keep the house, take care 
of the children, or .to perform some work of necessity and 
mercy ; the rest should assemble in the place appointed for 
worship and the offering* up of our sacraments. 10.284. 

You take this book (the book of Doctrine and Cove- 
nants) and you will read here that the Samts are to meet 
together on the Sabbath day. It is what we call the first 
day of the week. No matter whether it is the Jewish Sab- 
bath or not. I do not think there is anybody who can bring 
facts to prove which is the seventh day, or when Adam was 
put in the garden, or the day about which the Lord spoke 
to Moses. This matter is not very well known, so we call 
the day on which we rest and worship God, the first day of 
the week. This people called Latter-day Saints, are re- 
quired by the revelations that the Lord has given, to as- 
semble* themselves together on this day. In this command- 
ment we are required to come together and repent of our 
sins and confess our sins and partake of the bread and of 
the wine, or water, in commemoration of the death and 
sufferings of our Lord and Savior 16:168. 

Instead of suffering our labors to occupy the Sabbath 
—instead of planning our business to infringe upon the 
first day of the week, we should do as little as possible ; if 



THE SABBATH, MEETINGS, THE SACRAMENT 255 

it is necessary to cook food, do so ; but even if that could 
be dispensed with, it would be better. As to keeping the 
Sabbath according to the Mosaic l:w, indeed, I do not; for 
it would be almost beyond my power Still, under the new 
covenant, we should remember to preserve holy one day 
In the week as a day of rest— as a memorial of the rest of 
the Lord and the rest of the Saints , also for our temporal 
advantage, for it is instituted for the express purpose of 
benefiting man It is written m this book (the Bible), that 
the Sabbath was made for man. It lb a blessing to him 
As little labor as possible should be done upon that day, 
it should be set apart as a day of rest, to assemble together 
in the place appointed, according to the revelation, confess- 
ing our sms, bringing our tithes and offerings, and present- 
ing ourselves before the Lord, there to commemorate the 
death and sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ 6 277-8 

Now, remember, my brethren, those who go skating, 
buggy riding or on excursions on the Sabbath day — and 
there is a great deal of this practiced — are weak in the faith 
Gradually, little by little, little by little, the spirit of their 
religion leaks out of their hearts and their affections, and 
by and by they begin to see faults in their brethren, faults 
in the doctrines of the Church, faults in the organization, 
and at last they leave the Kingdom of God and go to de- 
struction I really wish you would remember this, and tell 
it to your neighbors. 15 .83. 

The Lord has directed his people to rest one-seventh 
part of the time, and we take the first day of the week, and 
call it our Sabbath. This is according to the order of the 
Christians. We should observe this for our own temporal 
good and spiritual welfare. When we see a farmer m such 
a hurry, that he has to attend to his harvest, and to haying, 



256 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

fence-making, or to gathering his cattle on the Sabbath 
day, as far as I am concerned, I count him weak in the 
faith. He has lost the spirit of his religion, more or less. 
Six days are enough for us to work, and if we wish to play, 
play within the six days, if we wish to go on excursions, 
take one of those six days, but on the seventh day, come to 
the place of worship, attend to the Sacrament, confess your 
faults one to another and to our God, and pay attention to 
the ordinances of the house of God. 15.81. 

I said yesterday to a Bishop who was mending a breach 
in the canal, and expressed a wish to continue his labor on 
the following Sabbath, as his wheat was burning up, let it 
burn, when the time comes that is set apart for worship, 
go up and worship the Lord 3:331 

The Lord has planted within us a divinity, and that 
divine immortal spirit requires to be fed. Will earthly 
food answer for that purpose? No; it will only keep this 
body alive as long as the spirit stays with it, which gives 
us an opportunity of doing good. That divinity within us 
needs food from the Fountain from which it emanated It 
is -not of the earth, earthy, but is from heaven. Principles 
of eternal life, of God and godliness, will alone feed the 
immortal capacity of man and give true satisfaction. 7:138 

We are under the necessity of assembling here from 
Sabbath to Sabbath, and in Ward meetings, and besides, 
have to call our solemn assemblies, to teach, talk, pray, 
sing, and exhort. What for? To keep us in remembrance 
of our God and our holy religion. Is this custom neces- 
sary? Yes; because we are so liable to forget — so prone 
to wander, that we need to have the Gospel sounded in 
our ears as much as once, twice, or thrice a week, or, be- 
hold, we will turn again to our idols. 6:195. 



THE SABBATH, MEE1INGS, THE SACRAMENT 257 

If you can make as good a beginning as did an old lady, 
you will do well She went to a schoolhouse, and, on her 
return, called at a neighbor's who inquired where she had 
been She replied, "I have been to meeting." "Has there 
been a meeting?" "Oh, yes, and a glorious one, too" 
"Dear me, we did not hear of it Were there many there ?" 
"No, there were not many" "Who was there?" ' k Why, 
the Lord was there, and I was there, and had a blessed good 
meeting " If you cannot get any person to meet with you, 
be sure and have the Lord meet with you, and you will soon 
gain confidence in yourselves and have influence with your 
brethren. 8 65. 

Worship on Every Day— Monday, Tuesday, Wednes- 
day, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday must be spent to the 
glory of God, as much as Sunday, or we shall come short of 
the object of our pursuit. 13 261. 

The Lord knows the wants of his mortal children, and 
has appointed unto them one-seventh part of the time for 
rest, though we cannot say, in every sense of the word, that 
this is a day of rest *to the Latter-day Saints or to the pro- 
fessing Christians, some of whom are in the habit of rising 
at sunrise to hold prayer-meetings; they then eat breakfast 
and hurry away to the morning service until noon ; in the 
afternoon they again have meetings, and class meetings, 
prayer meetings, confessing meetings, etc , and so continue 
until nine in the evening. To such persons I cannot con- 
sider it really a day of rest. 10:187. 

Coming to this Tabernacle to worship and do the will of 
God for one day in the week, and following our own in- 
clinations and doing our own will at all other times, is a 
folly ; it is useless, and a perfect burlesque on the service of 
God We should do the will of God, and spend all our time 



258 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

for- the accomplishment of his purposes, whether we are 
in this Tabernacle or elsewhere 12 34 

If I had my own mind, I would devote the time for 
meetings like this within the measure of the six days, and 
on the seventh rest from all my labors, for the express pur- 
pose of renewing the mental and physical powers of man 
They require it, as the Lord well knew; hence he estab- 
lished a day of rest The natural tendency of the physical 
powers of man is to decay; and to preserve them as long as 
possible, they need this retirement from labor — this rest — 
this ease. 8.58 

Preaching and Listening in Meetings — While we have 
the privilege of speaking to each other, let us speak wordh 
of comfort and consolation. When you are influenced by 
the Spirit of holiness and purity, let your light shine , but 
if you are tried and tempted and buffeted by Satan, keep 
your thoughts to yourselves — keep your mouths closed , for 
speaking produces fruit, either of a good or evil character. 
7-268. 

As we have met in the capacity of a General Conference, 
we shall expect to hear instructions from the Elders per- 
taining to the building up of the Kingdom of God on earth 
This is our calling, this is the labor devolving upon us, and 
it should occupy our attention day by day from morning 
until evening and from week to week ; in fact, we have no 
other calling or business 13 260. 

Today we are able to meet together to speak to each 
other, to strengthen and do each other good; and by for- 
saking our fields for a season, to gather together to worship 
our God, I can assure you that our crops will be better than 
they would be if we were to spend all our time in our fields 
We may water and plant and toil, but we should never fnf- 



THE SABBATH, MEETINGS; THE SACRAMENT 259 

get that it is God who gives the increase; and by meeting 
together, our health and spirits will be better, we will look 
better, and the things of this world will increase around 
us more, and we will know better how to enjoy them. 
11:116. 

I will take the liberty of suggesting to my brethren who 
address the congregation that our sermons should be short, 
and if they are not filled with life and spirit let them be 
shorter, for we have not time at this Conference to let all 
the Elders who speak preach a long sermon, but we have 
time to say a few words in bearing testimony, to give a 
few words of counsel to encourage the Saints, to strengthen 
the weak, to endeavor to confirm those who are wavering, 
and so forward the Kingdom of God. 12:27, 

Brethren and sisters, I will make one request of you. 
When you speak, speak so that we can hear and understand 
you, whether it be much or little, good or bad. If you have 
nothing to say, take my counsel, and keep your seat. If 
you have anything to say, say it ; and when you get through, 
stop. Let your feelings be governed and controlled by the 
principles of eternal life, as should the children of God, de- 
lighting in truth and righteousness. 7 270. 

Many have a foreboding in their hearts ; a fearfulness, 
a tremor comes over them, when they arise to address a 
congregation. They think that it will not do to tell the 
people just what they understand, but talk about it and 
talk about it. In this way they darken counsel. Do not 
darken counsel by your words. 4:368. 

When people assemble to worship they should leave 
their worldly cares where they belong, then their minds 
are in a proper condition to worship the Lord, to call upon 
him in the name of Jesus, and to get his Holy Spirit, that 



260 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

they may hear and understand things as they are in eter- 
nity, and know how to comprehend the providences of our 
God. This is the time for their minds to be open, to be- 
hold the invisible things of God, that he reveals by his 
Spirit. 3 53. 

Every person should be silent when we meet here to 
worship God. Remember and try to keep perfectly quiet, 
and do not whisper, talk, nor scrape your feet ; and do not 
let your children cry if you can help it. 14 -44 

My greatest desire to my Father and God is that I may 
so speak that my remarks will be acceptable to him and 
beneficial to those who hear me. 7:131. 

I am responsible for the doctrine I teach ; but I am not 
responsible for the obedience of the people to that doctrine 
13 1. 

The same weakness is m me, that is common to the most 
of my brethren who address you from this stand, that is, a 
degree of timidity, which arises from a sense of the im- 
portance of the work in which we are engaged; but my 
resolution overbalances this. 1.334. 

I am extremely anxious so to convey my ideas to the 
people that they will understand them as I do. Our lan- 
guage is deficient, and I do not possess in this particular 
the natural endowment that some men enjoy. I am a man 
of few words, and unlearned in the learning of this genera- 
tion. 9:287, 

I have never yet seen the time that I had wisdom, 
strength, and ability enough to preach a Gospel discourse 
— to commence it, and finish it, setting before the people 
the plan of salvation sufficiently full, that thereby they 
might be saved. But it is only given in portions— a little 
here, and a little there, by feeble man 6 -283 



THE SABBATH J MEETINGS , THE SACRAMENT 261 

When I have endeavored to address a congregation, I 
have almost always felt a repugnance in my heart to the 
practice of premeditation, or of pre-constructing a dis- 
course to deliver to the people, but let me ask God my 
Heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, to give me 
his Spirit, and put into my heart the things he wishes me 
to speak whether they be for better or worse. These have 
been my private feelings, as a general thing 1 -264 

I need the attention of the congregation and the faith 
of those who have faith ; I need the wisdom of God and his 
Spirit to be m my heart to enable me to speak to the edifi- 
cation of the people. Although I have been a public speaker 
for thirty-seven years, it is seldom that I rise before a con- 
gregation without feeling a child-like timidity; if I live to 
the age of Methuselah I do not know that I shall outgrow 
it There are reasons for this which I understand. When 
I look upon the faces of intelligent beings I look upon the 
image of the God I serve There are none but what have 
a certain portion of divinity within them, and though we 
are clothed with bodies which are m the image of our God, 
yet this mortality shrinks before that portion of divinity 
which we inherit from our Father This is the cause of my 
timidity, and of all others who feel this embarrassment 
when they address their fellow beings. 13:139. 

In addressing a congregation, though the speaker be 
unable to say more than half a dozen sentences, and those 
awkwardly constructed, if his heart is pure before God, 
those few broken sentences are of more value than the 
greatest eloquence without the Spirit of the Lord and of 
more real worth in the sight of God, angels, and all good 
men. In praying, though a person's words be few and 
awkwardly expressed, if the heart is pure before God, that 



262 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

prayer will avail more than the eloquence of a Cicero 
What does the Lord, the Father of us all, care about our 
mode of expression ? The simple, honest heart is of more 
avail with the Lord than all the pomp, pride, splendor, and 
eloquence pioduced b\ men When he looks upon a heait 
full of sincerity, integrity, and child-like simplicity, he sees 
a principle that will endure forever— "That is the spirit of 
my own kingdom— the spirit I have given to my children " 
8 2834. 

I believe, according to my feelings, that if I had all the 
mastery of language that has ever been obtained by the 
learned, my spirit would delight more in childlike con- 
versation, and that too, in a simple language, than in the 
most learned literary style that is used A plain, clear 
method of expressing ideas is the most pleasing to me 
4 341. 

I believe it is our duty to imitate everything that is good, 
lovely, dignified and praiseworthy We ought to imitate 
the best speakers, and study to convey our ideas to each 
other m the best and choicest language, especially when 
we are dispensing +he great truths of the Gospel of peace 
to the people. I generally use the best language I can 
command 11*255. 

Testimony Meetings — You know that the first Thursday 
in each month we hold as a fast day How many here know 
the origin of this day? Before tithing was paid, the poor 
were supported by donations. They came to Joseph and 
wanted help, in Kirtland, and he said there should be a fast 
day, which was decided upon It was to be held once a 
month, as it is now,* and all that would have been eaten 



+ At present the first Sunday of the mouth is designated fast 
day 



THE SABBATH , MEETINGS , THE SACRAMENT 263 

that day, of flour, or meat, or butter, or fruit, or anything 
else, was to be carried to the fast meeting and put into the 
hands of a person selected for the purpose of taking care of 
it and distributing it among the poor. 12.115. 

Do not hesitate to tell your feelings. 4 '368 

In our fast-day meetings, the Saints meet to express 
their feelings and to strengthen each other in their faith in 
the holy Gospel 7.267. 

We wish the Latter-day Saints to meet at their respec- 
tive houses, erected for that purpose, on the day appointed 
for a fast, and take with them of their substance to feed the 
poor and the hungry among us, and, if it is necessary, to 
clothe the naked. We expect to see the sisters there, for 
they are generally first and foremost in deeds of charity 
and kindness. Let the hearts of the poor be made glad, 
and let their prayers and thanksgiving ascend unto God, and 
receive an answer of rich blessings upon our heads 12 *126 

Do you not receive as much of the spirit of intelligence, 
of the spirit of knowledge, and the consoling influences of 
the Holy Ghost, to have people rise and testify of the things 
of God which they do know, of those things which they 
have experienced themselves 7 Does not that vividly bring 
to your minds the goodness of the Lord in revealing to you 
the truths of the Gospel? Does not that strengthen your 
faith, give you an increase of confidence and witness to 
you that you are a child of God? Most assuredly it does 
Therefore, when any testify of the things of God, it 
strengthens their brethren, precisely as it did m days of old 
when they observed the counsel to, "Speak often one to 
another," "strengthen the brethren," and so on. 4 :367. 

If any of you feel that there is no life in your meetings, 
as I occasionally hear some of the brethren say, then it be- 



264 DISCOURSES OP BRIGHAM YOUNG 

comes your duty to go and instill life mto that meeting, and 
do your part to produce an increase of the Spirit and power 
of God in the meetings m your locality. 10 309. 

I always feel to urge our youth to attend meetings when 
strangers preach, that they may be able to understand that 
which is not of God, and learn the difference between the 
doctrine taught by us and others 13 323. 

Now, then, if our brethren of the Presbyterians, Metho- 
dists or any others visit here and want to preach to you, 
certainly let them preach, and have your children hear them 
They will tell you to keep the Sabbath and to love your 
father and mother, they will tell you to be true, honest, 
industrious, to be faithful to your studies, to read the Bible 
and all good books, to study the sciences, etc., which is all 
good, and as far as such teaching goes just as good as it 
can be. I say, parents, do not be afraid of having your 
children learn everything that is worth learning And if 
any of our Christian brethren want to go into our Sabbath 
schools to teach our children, let them do so. They will 
not teach them anything immoral in the presence of those 
who are in charge of the schools. 14:196. 

Whether we are poor or rich, if we neglect our prayers 
and our sacrament meetings, we neglect the Spirit of the 
Lord, and a spirit of darkness comes over us 10 300 

When a man opens or closes a meeting with prayer, 
every man, woman, and child in the congregation who pro- 
fesses to be a Samt should have no desire or words m their 
hearts and mouths but what are being offered by the man 
who is mouth for all the congregation. 6 :42. 

The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper— The revelations 
of God to Joseph Smith instruct the Latter-day Saints to 
live their religion day by day, and to meet on the first da> 



J HE SABBATH , MEETINGS , THE SACRAMENT 265 

of the week to break bread, confess their faults one to an- 
other and pray with and for each other I would like this 
tradition fastened not only upon the people generally, but 
particularly upon the Bishops and other leaders of this 
Church. 9-369 

I say to the brethren and sisters, in the name of the 
Lord, it is our duty and it is required of us, by our Father 
in Heaven, by the spirit of our religion, by our covenants 
with God and each other, that we observe the ordinances 
of the house of God, and especially on the Sabbath day, to 
attend to the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. Then at- 
tend the Ward meetings and the Quorum meetings 15 .82 

In the ordinance we here attend to in the afternoon, 
we show to the Father that we remember Jesus Christ, our 
Elder Brother , we testify to him that we are willing to take 
upon us his nanie. When we are doing this, I want the 
minds here as well as the bodies. I want the whole man 
here when you come to meeting. 8:137. 

This is a very solemn ordinance. The Christian world 
accepts it, in preference to any other, as one of the ordi- 
nances of the house of God. With some, this ordinance is 
the first and the last ; and with others this ordinance is not 
thought to be of sufficient importance to be attended to 
I wish to say to the Latter-day Saints, and also to those 
who do not believe in the fulness of the Gospel, that this 
ordinance, which we are now attending to this afternoon, 
is, m reality, no more sacred than any other ordinance of 
the house of God in the eyes of him who has instituted the 
same. The validity of one divine law is the same as the 
validity of another with our Father and God. 11 ,3940 

I would exhort my brethren and sisters to receive this 
ordinance every Sabbath, when they meet together, as is 



266 DISCOURSES OF BRIQHAM YOUNG 

our practice , not following the customs of others, for with 
some denominations this is administered once a month, 
with others once in three months, with others never, they 
not believing in outward ordinances. We are in the habit 
of partaking of the contents of the cup each Sabbath when 
we meet together, and I do pray you, my brethren and 
sisters, to comtemplate this ordinance thoroughly, and seek 
unto the Lord with all your hearts that you may obtain the 
promised blessings by obedience to it Teach its observ- 
ance to your children ; impress upon them its necessity. Its 
observance is as necessary to our salvation as any other of 
the ordinances and Commandments that have been insti- 
tuted in order that the people may be sanctified, that Jesus 
may bless them and give unto them his spirit, and guide 
and direct them that they may secure unto themselves life 
eternal Impress the sacredness of this important ordi- 
nance upon the minds of your children. 19.91. 

We do this in remembrance of the death of our Savior , 
it is required of his disciples until he comes again, no mattei 
how long that may be. No matter how many generations 
come and go, believers in him are required to eat bread 
and drink wine in remembrance of his death and sufferings 
until he comes again. Why are they required to do this? 
To witness unto the Father, to Jesus and to the angels that 
they are believers in and desire to follow him in the re- 
generation, keep his commandments, build up his Kingdom, 
revere his name and serve him with an undivided heart, 
that they may be worthy to eat and drink with him in his 
Father's Kingdom. This is why the Latter-day Saints par- 
take of the ordinance of the Lord's Supper. 

I know that in the Christian world sermon after sermon 
is preached on this subject ; yet people there differ in their 



THE SABBATH , MEETINGS J THE SACRAMENT 267 

belief concerning these emblems The Mother Church, of 
the Christian world, believes that the bread becomes the 
actual flesh of Jesus, and that the wine becomes his blood , 
this is preposterous to me. It it> bread, and it is wine , but 
both are blessed to the souls of those who partake thereof. 
But to be followers of the Lord Jesus more is required than 
merely to partake of the bread and wme — the emblems of 
his death and suffering — it is necessary that strict obedience 
be rendered to his requirements. 13 139-140 

In what consists the benefit we derive from this ordi- 
nance? It is in obeying the commands of the Lord. When 
we obey the commandments of our Heavenly Father, if we 
have a correct understanding of the ordinances of the house 
of God, we receive all the promises attached to the obedi- 
ence rendered to his commandments 2 -3 

It is one of the greatest blessings we could enjoy, to 
come before the Lord, and before the angels, and before 
each other, to witness that we remember that the Lord 
Jesus Christ has died for us This proves to the Father 
that we remember our covenants, that we love his Gospel, 
that we love to keep his commandments,* and to honor the 
name of the Lord Jesus upon the earth. 6.277. 

In the days of ancient Israel, while in the land of Pales- 
tine, they were not blessed so profusely as we are with the 
crystal streams from the mountains They were in the 
habit of drinking a great deal of wine, and among the few 
who have continued to inhabit that land, this habit, I be- 
lieve, has been kept up to the present time. It is a wine 
country. But the Lord has said to us it mattered not what 
we partake of when we administer the cup to the people, 
inasmuch as we do it with an eye single to the glory of God ; 
it is then acceptable to him Consequently we use water as 



268 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

though it were wine ; for we are commanded to drink not of 
wine for this sacred purpose except it be made by our own 
hands. 19 :92. 

In some of our Wards and settlements the administering 
of the Sacrament has been introduced in the Sunday schools. 
It is very pleasing and gratifying to the spirit that I pos- 
sess, for the parents to see that their children attend Sun- 
day school and receive the proper instruction with regard 
to their faith. After the Sunday school is over, let the 
parents take the pains to bring their children to meeting. 
19:92. 

I will now express a wish in relation to all who may 
rise here to ask a blessing on the bread and water of the 
Sacrament, or«to preach to such large congregations as as- 
semble here. When the Elders rise here to speak, I want 
them to raise their voices so that the people can hear them, 
that the audience may be able to say "Amen" to all the 
good; and if there is' evil, refuse it. When any one rises to 
preach, pray, sing, exhort, or bless the Sacramental em- 
blems, let him do so with voice sufficient for all to hear 
8:183. 



CHAPTER XV 
TITHING; THE UNITED ORDER 

The Law of Tithing— One thing is required at the hands 
of this people, and to understand which there is no neces- 
sity for receiving a commandment every year, viz. : to pay 
their tithing. I do not suppose for a moment, that there 
is a person in this Church, who is unacquainted with the 
duty of paying tithing, neither is it necessary to have reve- 
lation every year upon the subject. There is the Law — pay 
one-tenth. 1 :278. 

I like the term, because it is scriptural, and I would 
rather use it than any other. The Lord instituted tithing; 
it was practiced in the days of Abraham, and Enoch and 
Adam and his children did not forget their tithes and offer- 
ings. You can read for yourselves with regard to what the 
Lord requires. I want to say this much to those who pro- 
fess to be Latter-day Saints—if we neglect our tithes and 
offerings we will receive the chastening hand of the Lord. 
We may just as .well count on this first as last. If we neg- 
lect to pay our tithes and offerings we will neglect other 
things and this will grow upon us until the spirit of the 
Gospel is entirely gone from us, and we are in the dark, and 
know not whither we are going. 15 :163. 

If the Lord requires one-tenth of my ability to be de- 
voted to building temples, meeting houses, school houses, 
to -schooling our children, gathering the poor from the na- 
tions of the earth, bringing home the aged, lame, halt and 
blind, and building houses for them to live in, that they 
may be comfortable when they reach Zion, and to sustain- 
ing "the Priesthood, it is not my prerogative to question the 



270 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

authority of the Almighty m this, nor of his servants who 
have charge of it If I am required to pay my tithmg it is 
my duty to pay it In the days of Joseph, when my 
circumstances were very, very straitened, I never had $500, 
$100, one dollar, fifty cents or twenty-five cents, but what, 
if it were wanted, it went as free as a cup of water from a 
well — Joseph was welcome to it. Was I tried in this? Yes, 
for many and many has been the time in my poverty," when 
if I had a dollar or fifty cents m my possession I have 
thought, "I can buy a pint or a half pint of molasses for my 
children to sop their bread in/' but it was called for, and it 
went as free as the water of the river here would be to a 
thirsty person. And as for my time, from the day that I 
entered this Church until now, I have paid no attention to 
any business except that of building up this Kingdom The 
question may be asked, "Do you not attend to your pri- 
vate affairs and business?" Yes, when I can, but I do not 
know that I have ever spent one minute in attending to 
business belonging to Bngham Young, when the business 
of the Church and Kingdom of God on the earth required 
his attention. Yet I would not say that this is any ex- 
cuse for not strictly paying my tithmg I have paid a great 
deal of tithing, more perhaps than any other man, or any 
other ten men who were ever in the Church, and yet my 
tithmg is not paid But I pay tithing, and when the 
grain upon my farm is ripened, or the cattle upon it are 
matured, I say to my men, "Be sure and pay the tithing 
on whatever we have raised " But in, some instances I 
have found that it was neglected. 16 111. 

It is very true that the poor pay their tithmg better than 
the rich do. If the rich would pay their tithmg we should 
have plenty. The poor are faithful and prompt in paying 



tithing; the united order 271 

their tithing, but the rich can hardly afford to pay theirs 
— they have too much. If he has only ten dollars he can 
pay one; if he has only one dollar he can pay ten cents, 
it does not hurt him at all. If he has a hundred dollars he 
can possibly pay ten If he has a thousand dollars he 
looks over it a little and says, "I guess I will pay it; it 
ought to be paid anyhow ;" and he manages to pay his ten 
dollars or his hundred dollars But suppose a man is 
wealthy enough to pay ten thousand, he looks that over a 
good many times and says, "I guess I will wait until" I get 
a little more, and then I will pay a good deal." And they 
wait and \\ ait, like an old gentleman in the East ; he waited 
and waited and waited to pay his tithing until he went out 
of the world, and this is the way with a great many. They 
wait and continue waiting, until, finally, the character 
comes along who is called Death, and he slips up to them 
and takes away their breath, then they are gone and can- 
not pay their tithing, they are too late, and so it goes 
15 163-164. 

The Saints abroad are required to pay their tithing 
8-182. 

When men are Saints, they will bring their thousands 
and lay them at the feet of the Bishops, Apostles, and 
Prophets, saying, "Here is my money, it is now where it 
should be." 6.175. 

When a man wishes to give anything, let him give the 
best he has got. The Lord has given to me all I possess , I 
have nothing in reality, not a single dime of it is mine. 
You may ask, "Do you feel as you say?" Yes, I actually 
do The coat I have on my back is not mine, and never 
was; the Lord put it in my possession honorably, and I 
wear it , but if he wishes for it, and all there is under it, he 



272 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

is welcome to the whole. I do not own a house, or a single 
farm of land, a horse, mule, carnage, or wagon, or wife, 
nor child, but what the Lord gave me, and if he wants 
them, he can take them at his pleasure, whether he 
speaks for them, or takes them without speaking. 2:307 

When my Bishop came to value my property, he wanted 
to know what he should take my tithing in. I told him to 
take anything I had, for I did not set my heart upon 
any ope thing; my horses, cows, hogs, or any other thing 
he might take; my heart is set upon the work of my God, 
upon the public good of his great Kingdom. 1 .376. 

If we live our religion we will be willing to pay tithing. 
10:283. 

Here is a character — a man — that God has created, or- 
ganized, fashioned and made, — every part and particle of 
my system from the top of my head to the soles of my feet, 
has been produced by my Father in Heaven; and he re- 
quires one-tenth part of my brain, heart, nerve, muscle, 
sinew, flesh, bone, and of my whole system, for the build- 
ing of temples, for the ministry, for sustaining missionaries 
and missionaries' families, for feeding the poor, the aged, 
the halt and blind, and for gathering them home from the 
nations and taking care of them after they are gathered. He 
has said, "My son, devote one-tenth of yourself to the good 
and wholesome work of taking care of your fellow-beings, 
preaching the Gospel, bringing people into the Kingdom ; 
lay your plans to take care of those who cannot take care 
of themselves; direct the labors of those who are able 
to labor ; aud one-tenth part is all-sufficient if it is devoted 
properly, carefully and judiciously for the advancement of 
my Kingdom on the earth." 16-69. 

The Lord Has -Given All-— It is not for me to rise up 



TITHING; THE UNITED ORDER 171 

and say that I can give to the Lord, for in reality I have 
nothing 1 to give I seem to have something Why? Because 
the Lord has seen fit to bring me forth, and has blessed my 
efforts in gathering things which are desirable, and which 
are termed property. 2 .300 

We are not our own, we are bought with a price, we are 
the Lord's ; our time, our talents, our gold and silver, our 
wheat and fine flour, our wine and our oil, our cattle, and 
all there is on this earth that we, have in our possession is 
the Lord's, and he requires one-tenth of this for the build- 
ing up of his Kingdom. Whether we have much or little, 
one-tenth should be paid in for tithing 14 *88. 

What object have I in saying to the Latter-day Saints, 
do this, that or the other? It is for my own benefit, it is 
for your benefit, it is for my own wealth and happiness, and 
for your wealth and happiness that we pay tithmg and 
render obedience to any requirement of Heaven. We can 
not add anything to the Lord by doing these things. Tell 
about making sacrifices for the Kingdom of heaven. There 
is no man who ever made a sacrifice on this earth for the 
Kingdom of heaven, that I know anything about, except the 
Savior. He drank the bitter cup to the dregs, and tasted 
for every man and for every woman, and redeemed the 
earth and alt things upon it. But he was God in the flesh, 
or he could not have endured it. "But we suffer, we sacri- 
fice, we give something, we have preached so long." What 
for? "Why, for the Lord." I would not give the ashes of 
a rye straw for the man who feels that he is making sacri- 
fice for God. We are doing this for our own happiness, wel- 
fare and exaltation, and for nobody else's. This is the fact, 
and what we do, we do for the salvation of the inhabitants 



274 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

of the earth, not for the salvation of the heavens, the angels, 
or the Gods. 16:114. 

I do not expect to see the day when I am perfectly in- 
dependent, until I am crowned in the celestial kingdom of 
my Father, and made as independent as my Father m 
Heaven. I have not yet received my inheritance as my own, 
and I expect to be dependent until I do, for all that I have 
is lent to me. 3:245. 

We own nothing but the talents God has given to us 
to improve upon, to show him what we will do with them. 
8 293. 

People Not Compelled to Pay Tithing— The people are 
not compelled to pay their tithing, they do as they please 
about it, it is urged upon them only as a matter of duty be- 
tween them and their God. 12 .36 

We do not ask anybody to pay tithing, unless they are 
disposed to do so , but if you pretend to pay tithing, pay 
it like honest men. 8:202 

Some complain and say that they are taxed by tithmg. 
We ask no tithing of any man In this we are as independ- 
ent as the Lord is I say, do not pay another dollar in 
tithing unless you want to. 8 :345. 

Pay your tithing, just because you like to, not unless 
you want to. They say we cut people off the Church for 
not paying tithing ; we never have yet, but they ought to be. 
God does not fellowship them. The law of tithing is an 
eternal law. The Lord Almighty never had his Kingdom 
on the earth without the law of tithing being in the midst 
of his people, and he never will. It is an eternal law that 
God has instituted for the benefit of the human family, for 
their salvation and exaltation. This law is in the Priest- 



tithing; the united order 275 

hood, but we do not want any to observe it unless they are 
willing to do so. 14:89. 

Use of the Tithing — It may be supposed by some that 
the tithing is used to sustain and feed the First Presidency 
and the Twelve ; this is a false impression I can say, with- 
out boasting, that there is not another man in this Kingdom 
has done more in dollars and cents to build it up than I 
have, and yet I have not done a farthing's worth of myself, 
for the means I have handled God has given me , it is not 
mine, and if it ever is mine it will be when I have overcome 
and gained my exaltation and received it from him who 
rightfully owns all things. 10 270. 

The little moiety that is now paid on tithing is used to 
bring the poor here, to find them houses to live in, bread 
to eat, and wood to burn. Now, suppose we had a little 
more of this surplus on hand, could we not help the breth- 
ren on their way to preach the Gospel to the nations? Yes, 
we could Some of them will leave families that will, prob- 
ably, be destitute, and if we had means on hand we could 
donate to help them, and to prevent them from running 
continually to the Bishops. 12.36 

The Lord requires one-tenth of that which he has given 
me ; it is for me to pay the one-tenth of the increase of my 
flocks and of all that I have, and all the people should do 
the same. The question may arise, "What is to be done 
with the tithing" ?" It is for the building of temples to 
God, for the enlarging of the borders of Zion; sending 
Elders on missions to preach the Gospel and taking care of 
their families. By and by we shall have some temples to 
go into, and we will receive our blessings, the blessings of 
heaven, by obedience to the doctrine of tithing We shall 
have temples built throughout these mountains, in the 



276 DISCOURSES OF BKIGHAM YOUNG 

valleys of this Territory and the valleys of the next Terri- 
tory, and finally, all through these mountain valleys. We 
expect to build temples m a great many valleys We go 
to the Endowment House, and before going, we get a recom- 
mendation from our Bishop that we have paid our tithing 
16 168 

In regard to this whining of the world about Brigham's 
handling the tithing, I can say that he has put m ten dollars 
where he has taken one out of the treasury, and he has paid 
more tithing than any other man in the Church. Every- 
body should pay their tenth A poor woman ought to pay 
her tenth chicken, if she has to draw out ten times its value 
for her support. It is all the Lord's and we are only his 
stewards 16:45. 

It is my business to control the disbursements of the 
tithing paid by the Saints, and not the business of every 
Elder m the Kingdom who thinks the tithing belongs to 
him. 8:170. 

The United Order— The Lord has declared it to be his 
will that his people enter into covenant, even as Enoch and 
his people did, which of necessity must be before we shall 
have the privilege of building the Center Stake of Zion, for 
the power and glory of God will be there, and none but the 
pure in heart will be able to live and enjoy it. 18 -263. 

When the Lord gave the revelation instructing us in our 
duty as to consecrating what we have, if the people then 
could have understood things precisely as they are, and had 
obeyed that revelation, it would have been neither more 
no less than yielding up that which is not their own, to 
him to whom it belongs And so it is now 2 -303 

When they bow down to worship the Lord, they ac- 
knowledge that the earth is his, and the cattle upon a 



tithing; the united osder 277 

thousand hills; and tell the Lord there is no sacrifice they 
are not willing to make for the sake of the religion of 
Jesus Christ. The people were crying this continually 
among the churches when the Book of Mormon came 
forth, and the Lord spoke through Joseph, revealing the 
law of consecration, to see whether they were willing to 
do as they said in their prayers. 2 :305. 

There is another revelation still prior to this time, stat- 
ing that it is the duty of all people who go to Zion to 
consecrate all their property to the Church of Jesus Christ 
of Latter-day Saints. This revelation was referred to at 
the April Conference in 1854. It was one of the first com- 
mandments or revelations given to this people after they 
had the privilege of organizing themselves as a Church, 
as a body, as the Kingdom of God on the earth. I ob- 
served then, and I now think, that it will be one of the 
last revelations which the people will receive into their 
hearts and understanding, of their own free will and 
choice, and esteem it as a pleasure, a privilege, and a bless- 
ing unto them to observe and keep most holy. 2 :299. 

I have said, and say today, that according to the age 
of the people we have improved as fast as the church of 
Enoch. I trust we improve faster, for we have not as much 
time as they had. In some of the first revelations which 
were given to this Church, the Order of Enoch was given 
for a pattern to this people; and Enoch patterned after 
the heavens. In the commencement, of the Church, the Lat- 
ter-day Saints could not receive it, and they were driven 
from city to city, as the Lord said they should be, through 
the mouth of his servant Joseph, until they should be 
willing to receive this Order. 12 :210. 

Will the time ever come that we can commence and 



278 



DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 



organize this people as a family? It will. Do we know 
how? Yes; what was lacking in these revelations from 
Joseph to enable us to do so was revealed to me. Do 
you think we will ever be one ? When we get home to 
our Father and God, will we not wish to be m the family ? 
Will it not be our highest ambition and desire to be reck- 
oned as the sons of the living God, as the daughters of 
the Almighty, with a right to the household, and the faith 
that belongs to the household, heirs of the Father, his 
goods, his wealth, his power, his excellency, his knowl- 
edge and wisdom? 11 326. 

I will say, first, that the Lord Almighty has not the 
least objection in the world to our entering into the Order 
of Enoch. I will stand between the people and all harm 
in this He has not the least objection to any man, every 
man, all mankind on the face of the earth turning from 
evil and loving and serving him with all their hearts With 
regard to all those orders that the Lord has revealed, it 
depends upon the will and doings of the people, and we are 
at liberty, from this Conference, to go and build up a 
settlement, or we can join ourselves together in this city, 
do it legally— according to the laws of the land — and enter 
into covenant with each other by a firm agreement that 
we will live as a family, that we will put our property 
into the hands of a committee of trustees, who shall dictate 
the affairs of this society 16 8 

And when this people become one, it will be one in 
the Lord. They will not look alike. We will not all 
have grey, blue, or black eyes Our features will differ 
one from another, and in our acts, dispositions, and efforts 
to accumulate, distribute, and dispose of our time, talents, 
wealth, and whatever the Lord gives to us, in our journey 



tithing; the united order 279 

through life, we will differ just as much as in our features. 
The point that the Lord wishes to bring us to is to obey 
his counsel and observe his word Then every one will 
be dictated so that we can act as a family 12 *57. 

But to the text. We want to see a community organ- 
ized in which every person will be industrious, faithful and 
prudent. What will you do with the children? We will 
bring them up until they are of legal age, then say, "Go 
where you please. We have given you a splendid edu- 
cation, the advantage of all the learning of the day, and 
if you do not wish to stay with the Saints, go where you 
please." What will you do with those who apostatize after 
having entered into covenant and agreement with others, 
that their property shall be one, and be in the hands of 
trustees, and shall never be taken out? If any of these 
parties apostatize, and say we wish to withdraw from this 
community, what will you do with them? We will say to 
them, "Go, and welcome," and if we are disposed to give 
them anything, it is all right. 15:226. 

I know how to start such a society, right in this city, 
and how to make its members rich I would go to now, 
and buy out the poorest Ward in this city, and then com- 
mence with men and women who have not a dollar in the 
world. Bring them here from England, or any part of 
the earth, set them down in this Ward and put them to 
work, and in five years we would begin to enter other 
Wards, and we would buy this house and that house, and 
the next house, and we would add Ward to Ward until we 
owned the whole city, every dollar's worth of property 
there is in it. We could do this, and let the rich go to 
California to get gold, and we would buy their property. 
Would you like to know how to do this? I can tell you 



280 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

in a very few words — never want a thing you cannot get, 
live within your means, manufacture that which you wear, 
and raise that which you tat. Raise every calf and lamb, 
raise the chickens, and have your eggs, make your butter 
and cheese, and always have a little to spare The first 
year we raise a crop, and we have more than we want. We 
buy nothing, we sell a little The next year we raise more , 
we buy nothing and we sell more In this way we could 
pile up the gold and silver and in twenty years a hundred 
families working like this could buy out their neighbors. 
I see men who earn four, five, ten or fifteen dollars a day 
and spend every dime of it. Such men spend their means 
foolishly, they waste it instead of taking care of it They 
do not know what to do with it, and they seem to fear that 
it will burn their pockets, and they get rid of it If you 
get a dollar, sovereign, half-eagle or eagle, and are afraid 
it will burn your pockets, put it into a safe It will not 
burn anything there, and you will not be forced to spend, 
spend, spend as you do now. 16:11. 

I have looked upon the community of Latter-day Saints 
in vision and beheld them organized as one great family of 
heaven, each person performing his several duties in his 
line of industry, working for the good of the whole more 
than for individual aggrandizement ; and in this I have be- 
held the most beautiful order that the mind of man can con 
template, and the grandest results for the upbuilding of the 
Kingdom of God and the spread of righteousness upon the 
earth Will this people ever come to this order of things? 
Are they now prepared to live according to that patriarchal 
order that will be organized among the true and faithful 
before God receives his own? We all concede the point 
that when this mortality falls off, and with it its cares, anx- 



tithing; the united order 281 

ieties, love of self, love of wealth, and love of power, and 
all the conflicting interests which pertain to this flesh, that 
then, when our spirits have returned to God who gave 
them, we will be subject to every requirement that he may 
make of us, that we shall then live together as one great 
family, our interest will be a general, a common interest 
Why can we not so live in this world? 12-1*53. 



CHAPTER XVI 
THE WORD OF WISDOM 

Moderation — By temperance and moderation lay the 
foundation for the development of the mind. 19 68 

Indulgence of appetite is not worthy the notice of men 
and women, though the body must be sustained, for that 
is a duty God has placed upon us. 8:141. 

Satisfying the appetite brings to an end the pleasure of 
eating; and where food is partaken of chiefly to gratify the 
pleasureable sensation derived from eating, disease is engen- 
dered, and true misery springs out of this unwise gratifica- 
tion. Some healthy, strong-constitutioned persons can eat 
large quantities of food with apparent impunity ; but, m so 
doing, the tax they place upon their systems will ultimately 
bring disease and death 8 139. 

As I said to the brethren the other day in the Thir- 
teenth Ward schoolhouse, with regard to worldly pleasure, 
comfoit, and enjoyment* you may take as much as you 
please of the Spirit of the Lord, and it will not make your 
stomach or head ache. You may drink nine cups of strong 
spiritual drink, and it will not hurt you; but if you drink 
nine cups of strong tea, see what it will do for you. Let 
a person that is very thirsty and warm satiate his appetite 
with cold water, and when he gets through he will perhaps 
have laid the foundation for death, and may go to an un- 
timely grave, which is frequently done. Excessive eating, 
drinking, or exercise all tend to the grave. 11 *329 

The blessings of food, sleep, and social enjoyment are 
ordained of God for his glory and our benefit, and it is for 
us to learn to use them and not abuse them, that his King- 



THE WORD OF WISDOM 283 

dom may advance on the earth, and we advance in it 6:149. 

The Word of Wisdom — This Word of Wisdom pro- 
hibits the use of hot drinks and tobacco. I have heard it 
argued that tea and coffee are not mentioned therein; that 
is very true ; but what were the people in the habit of taking 
as hot drinks when that revelation was given? Tea and 
coffee. We were not in the habit of drinking water very 
hot, but tea and coffee — the beverages in common use. And 
the Lord said hot drinks are not good for the body nor the 
belly, liquor is not good for the body or the belly, but for 
the washing of the body, etc. Tobacco is not good, save for 
sick cattle, and for bruises and sores, its cleansing prop- 
erties being then very useful. 13 '277. 

I know that some say the revelations upon these points 
are not given by way of commandment. Very well, but 
we are commanded to observe every word that proceeds 
from the mouth of God. 13:3. 

Now I want you should recollect — Bishops, Elders of 
Israel, High Priests, Seventies, the Twelve Apostles, the 
First Presidency, and all the House of Israel, hearken ye. 
O my people ! keep the word of the Lord, observe the Word 
of Wisdom, sustain one another, sustain the household of 
faith, and let our enemies alone. 12 :29. 

Now, Elders of Israel, if you have the right to chew to- 
bacco, you have a privilege I have not ; if you have a right 
to drink whisky, you have a right that I have not ; if you 
have a right to transgress the Word of Wisdom, you have 
a right that I have not. 12:30. 

I said to the Saints at our last annual Conference, the 
Spirit whispers to me to call upon the Latter-day Saint? 
to observe the Word of Wisdom, to let tea, coffee, and to- 
bacco alone, and to abstain from drinking spirituous drinks. 



284 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

This is what the Spirit signifies through me If the Spirit 
of God whispers this to his people thi ough their leader, and 
they will not listen nor obey, what will be the consequences 
of their disobedience? Darkness and blindness of mind 
with regard to the things of God will be their lot ; they will 
cease to have the spirit of prayer, and the spirit of the world 
will increase in them in proportion to their disobedience 
until they apostatize entirely from God and his ways 
12.118 

In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I command the 
Elders of Israel — those who have been in the habit of get- 
ting drunk — to cease drinking strong drink from this time 
henceforth But some may think they need it as soon as 
they go out of this house Let me be your physician in this 
matter. So long as you are able to walk and attend to your 
business, it is folly to say that you need ardent spirits to 
keep you alive. The constitution that a person has should 
be nourished and cherished; and whenever we take any- 
thing into the system to force and stimulate it beyond its 
natural capacity, it shortens life I am physician enough 
to know that When you are tired and think you need a 
little spirituous liquor, take some bread and butter or bread 
and milk, and lie down and rest Do not labor so hard as 
to deem it requisite to get half drunk in order to keep up 
your spirits. If you will follow this counsel, you will be 
full of life and health, and you will increase your intelli- 
gence, your joy, and comfort 7*337. 

I now again request the authorities of this Church in 
their various localities to sever from this society those who 
will not cease getting drunk 7 338 

It is my positive counsel and command that drinking 
liquor be stopped If I had the influence the world gives me 



THE WORD OF WISDOM 285 

credit for, I would not have a single drunkard, thief, or liar 
in this society I do not profess to have that influence, but 
I can raise my voice against those evils 1 337. 

This Word of Wisdom which has been supposed to have 
become stale, and not m force, is like all the counsels of God, 
in force as much today as it ever was. There is life, evei- 
lastmg life in it — the life which now is and the life which 1* 
to come 12 209. 

It is a piece of good counsel which the Lord desires his 
people to observe, that they may live on the earth until the 
measure of their creation is full. This is the object the 
Lord had in view m giving that Word of Wisdom To 
those who observe it he will give great wisdom and under- 
standing, increasing their health, giving strength and en- 
durance to the faculties of their bodies and minds until they 
shall be full of years upon the earth This will be their 
blessing if they will observe his word with a good and 
willing heart and in faithfulness before the Lord 12 156 

Mankind would not become attached to these unnec- 
essary articles were it not for the poison they contain. 
The poisonous or narcotic properties in spirits, tobacco and 
tea are the cause of their being so much liked by those who 
use them 13:276. 

I say to all the Elders of Israel, if it makes you sick and 
so sleepy that you cannot keep out of bed unless you have 
tobacco, go to bed and there lie How long* Until you 
can get up and go to your business like rational men, like 
men who have heads on their shoulders and who are not 
controlled by their foolish appetites, I have said to my 
family, and I now say to all the sisters in the Church, if 
you cannot get up and do your washing without a cup of 
tea in the morning, go to bed, and there lie How long? 



286 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

Until the influence of tea is out of the system Will it take 
a month ? No matter if it does ; if it takes three months, six 
months, or a year, it is better to lie there in bed until the 
influence of tea, coffee and liquor is out of the system, so 
that you may go about your business like rational persons, 
than to give way to these foolish habits They are destruc- 
tive to the human system, they filch money from our pock- 
ets, and they deprive the poor of the necessaries of life 
13.278 

The sisters may inquire, "What can we do?" Rule 
your own passions, and exercise faith until you can govern 
and control your appetites, instead of drinking tea, coffee, 
and hot drinks That is one of the smallest duties I can 
think of Permit your bodies to have natural forms; also 
take pains to have the bodies of your daughters grow na- 
turally, and teach them what they are made for, and that 
they, through faith, must overcome every besetting sin and 
every unholy passion and appetite. 8-283 

And now that we have commenced to observe the Word 
of Wisdom, never treat resolution with a cup of tea or 
coffee, for as sure as you treat resolution once, it will plead 
hard for a treat again Keep the Word of Wisdom— help 
the poor, feed the hungry, and clothe the naked. Never 
let it be said of the Territory of Utah that a poor person 
had to go to the second house for a morsel to eat 12 54-55. 

Many of our sisters think they cannot live without tea. 
I will tell you what we can do — I have frequently said it 
to my brethren and sisters — if they cannot live without 
tea, coffee, brandy, whiskey, wine, beer, tobacco, etc , they 
can die without them This is beyond controversy. If 
we had the determination that we should have, we would 
live without them or die without them. Let the mother 



THE WORD OF WISDOM 287 

impregnate her system with these narcotic influences when 
she is bringing forth a family on the earth, and what does 
she do? She lays the foundation of weakness, palpitation 
of the heart, nervous affections, and many other ills and 
diseases in the system of her offspring that will afflict them 
from the cradle to the grave Is this righteous or unrighte- 
ous, good or evil? Let my sisters ask and answer the 
question for themselves, and the conclusion which each 
and every one of them may come to is this, "If I do an 
injury to my child, I sin." 13.276. 

Last week I received a note in which was enclosed 
three dollars from a sister; I cannot tell her name, for she 
did not give it She said she had not drunk any tea since 
Conference, and she had saved about three dollars, which 
she enclosed for me to do good with I felt "God blest, 
her," and she will be blessed as sure as she lives 12 :52 

If you observe faithfully the Word of Wisdom, you will 
have your dollar, your five dollars, your hundred dollars, 
yea, you will have your hundreds of dollars to spend for 
that which will be useful and profitable to you Why should 
we continue to practice in our lives those pernicious habits 
that have already sapped the foundation of the human con- 
stitution, and shortened the life of man to that degree that 
a generation passes away in the brief period of from twen- 
ty-seven to twenty -nine years? The strength, power, beau- 
ty and glory that once adorned that form and constitution 
of man have vanished away before the blighting influences 
of inordinate appetite and love of this world The health 
and power and beauty that once adorned the noble form 
of man must again be restored to our race ; and God designs 
that we shall engage in this great work of restoration. Then 
let us not trifle with our mission, by indulging in the use 



288 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

of injurious substances. These lay the foundation of dis- 
ease and death in the systems of men, and the same are 
committed to their children, and another generation of 
feeble human beings is introduced into the world. Such 
children have insufficient bone, sinew, muscle, and consti- 
tution, and are of little use to themselves, or to their fellow 
creatures ; they are not prepared for life. 12 : 118. 

A man who indulges in any habit that is pernicious to 
the general good in its example and influence, is not only 
an enemy to himself but to the community so far as the 
influence of that habit goes. A man who would not sacrifice 
a pernicious habit for the good it would do the community 
is, to say the least of it, lukewarm in his desires and wishes 
for public and general improvement 

So we see that almost the very first teachings the first 
Elders of this Church received were as to what to eat, 
what to drink, and how to order their natural lives that 
they might be united temporally as well as spiritually. This 
is the great purpose which God has in view m sending to 
the world, by his servants, the Gospel of life and salva- 
tion 12 158. 

There is more strength and nutriment in a bowl of 
water gruel than there is in tea; and there is no unhealthy 
influence in the water gruel, but there is in tea and coffee. 
11-350. 

Live Long. Take care of yourselves, and live as long 
as you can, and do all the good you can. 4 *302. 

The first principle that pertains to the intelligence God 
has bestowed upon us is to know how to preserve the 
present organization with which we are endowed. It is 
man's first duty to his existence, a knowledge of which 
would cause him to use all prudent efforts for the preserva- 



THE WORD OF WISDOM 289 

tion of his life on the earth until his work here is completed 
8 .281. 

Prepare to die, is not the exhortation m this Church 
and Kingdom , but prepare to live is the word with us, and 
improve all we can in the life hereafter, wherein we may 
enjoy a more exalted condition of intelligence, wisdom, 
light, knowledge, power, glory, and exaltation. Then let 
us seek to extend the present life to the uttermost, by 
observing every law of health, and by properly balancing 
labor, study, rest, and recreation, and thus prepare for a 
better life Let us teach these principles to our children, 
that, in the morning of their days, they may be taught to 
lay the foundation of health and strength and constitu- 
tion and power of life in their bodies 11 132 

This is the duty of the human family, instead of wasting 
their lives and the lives of their fellow-beings, and the 
precious time God has given us to improve our minds and 
bodies by observing the laws of life, so that the longevity 
of the human family may begin to return By and by, ac- 
cording to the Scriptures, the days of a man shall be like 
the days of a tree But in those days people will not eat 
and drink as they do now; if they do their days will not be 
like a tree, unless it be a very short-lived tree This is our 
business. 14 :89. 

We are trying to become natural in our habits, and are 
striving to fulfil the end and design of our creation. 13 233 

The fathers and mothers have laid the foundation for 
many of these diseases, from generation to generation, until 
the people are reduced to their present condition. True, 
some live to from fifty to ninety years of age, but it is an 
unusual circumstance to see a man an hundred years old, 
or a woman ninety. Th« people have laid the foundation of 



290 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

short life through their diet, their rest, their labor, and 
their doing- this, that, and the other m a wrong manner, 
with improper motives, and at improper times 2 269. 

You, mothers and daughters m Israel, who are taking 
this course, how do you expect to live to accomplish the 
work the Lord has assigned you ? You get up m the morn- 
ing and have your cup of tea, your fried ham, your cold 
beef and mince pies, and everything you can possibly 
cram into the stomach, until you surfeit the system and 
lay the foundation for disease and early death Says the 
mother— "Do eat, my little daughter, you are sick, take 
a piece of pie, toast, or meat, or drink a little tea or coffee , 
you must take something or other " Mothers in Israel, 
such a course engenders disease, and you are laying a 
foundation that will cut off one-half or two-thirds of the 
lives of your children 12 37 

Eating for Health— Instead of doing two days' work 
in one day, wisdom would dictate to our sisters, and to 
every other person, that if they desire long life and good 
health, they must, after sufficient exertion, allow the body 
to rest before it is entirely exhausted. When exhausted, 
some argue that they need stimulants in the shape of tea, 
coffee, spirituous liquors, tobacco, or some of those narcotic 
substances which are often taken to goad on the lagging 
powers to greater exertions. But instead of these kind 
of stimulants they should recruit by rest. Work less, wear 
less, eat less, and we shall be a great deal wiser, healthier, 
and wealthier people than by taking the course we now do 
It is difficult to find anything more healthy to drink than 
good cold water, such as flows down to us from springs 
and snows of our mountains This is the beverage we 
should drink. It should be our drmk at all times If we 



THE WORD OF WISDOM 291 

constantly drink even malt liquor made from our barley 
and wheat, our health would be injured more or less there- 
by. It may be remarked that some men who use spirituous 
liquors and tobacco are healthy, but I argue that they 
would be much more healthy if they did not use it, and 
then they are entitled to the blessings promised to those 
whcr observe the advice given in the "Word of Wisdom " 
Some few persons who have been addicted to the use of 
hot drinks, etc have reached the age of eighty, eighty-three, 
and eighty-four years, but had they not been addicted to 
such habits of living they might have reached the age of 
an hundred or an hundred and five years. 12 ,122 

I do not mean to go without food and go to fasting. 
This is the other extreme. A sufficient amount of food 
that will agree with the stomach is healthy, and should 
be partaken of. Aged or middle aged, youth or children, 
never should go without food until their stomachs are faint, 
demanding something to sustain their systems, and contin- 
ue to undergo this ; for this lays the foundation of weakness, 
and this weakness will tempt disease But keep the stom- 
ach in a perfectly healthy condition. Now I do not mean 
fasting, but eating moderately, and if my sisters will go 
home and commence to adopt this rule, you will find that 
you begin to get better, your children and neighbors will 
get better. We do not expect all to be free from sickness. 
I have had a great deal of sickness in my life. I do not 
expect to be free from the ills, the weakness, debility and 
disease that prey upon the human family, but we can 
amend our ways, and amend our life by being prudent; 
and I wish the sisters to understand this, and to adopt these 
instructions. 19 :68. 

The citizens of this city are tolerably comfortable; a 



292 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

great many of them have an abundance of fruit, and they 
enjoy it . It is very healthy for them and their children 
to eat in the season thereof 11 141 

As we got richer and built warm houses, and have lived 
more richly, indulging in sweet cake, plum pudding, roast 
beef and so on, we have had more or less disease among 
us 13.142. 

Go into their houses and you will find beef, pork, apple 
pie, custard pie, pumpkin pie, mince pie, and every luxury, 
and they live so as to shorten their days and the days of 
their children. You may think that these things are not of 
much importance ; no more they are, unless .they are ob- 
served, but let the people observe them and they lay the 
foundation for longevity, and they will begin to live out 
their days, not only a hundred years, but, by and by, hun- 
dreds of years on the earth Do you think they will stuff 
themselves then with tea and coffee, and perhaps with a 
little brandy sling before breakfast and a little before going 
to bed, and then beef, pork, mutton, sweet meats, and pas- 
try, morning, noon and night? No; you will find they will 
live as our first parents did, on fruits and on a little simple 
food, and they will never overload the stomach 12 37 

Suppose I happen to say, "Come, wife, let us have a 
good dinner today", what does she get? Pork and beef 
boiled, stewed, roasted, and fried potatoes, onions, cabbage, 
and turnips, custard, eggs, pies of all kinds, cheese and 
sweet meats 2:269 

A thorough reformation is needed in regard to our eat- 
ing and drinking, and on this point I will freely express my- 
self, and shall be glad if the people will hear, believe and 
obey If the people were willing to receive the true knowl- 
edge from heaven in regard to their diet they would cease 



THE WORD OF WISDOM 293 

eating swine's flesh. I know this as well as Moses knew it, 
and without putting it in a code of commandments. The 
beef fed upon our mountain grasses is as healthy food as we 
need at present. Beef, so fattened, is as good as wild 
meat, and is quite different in its nature from stall-fed 
meat But we can eat fish ; and I ask the people of this 
community, Who hinders you from raising fowls for their 
eggs ? Who hinders you from cultivating fruit of every 
variety that will flourish in the different parts of this 
Territory? There has not been a day through the whole 
winter that I have not had fresh peaches, and plenty of 
apples and strawberries. Who hinders any person in this 
community from having these different kinds of food in 
their families? Fish is as healthy a food as we can eat, if 
we except vegetables and fruit, and with them will become 
a very wholesome diet 12*192. 

When we go on a trip to the settlements and stop at 
the brethren's houses, it is, "Brother Brigham, let us mani- 
fest our feelings towards you and your company " I tell 
them to do so, but give me a piece of Johnny-cake , I would 
rather have it than their pies and tarts and sweet meats 
Let me have something that will sustain nature and leave 
my stomach and whole system clear to receive the Spirit" 
of the Lord and be free from headache and pains of every 
kind 

The Americans, as a nation, are killing themselves 
with their vices and high living As much as a man ought 
to eat in half an hour they swallow in three minutes, gulp- 
ing down their food Uke the canine quadruped under the 
table, which, when a chunk of meat is thrown down to it, 
swallows it before you can say "twice-" If you want a 
reform, carry out the advice I have just given you. Dispense 



294 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

with your multitudinous dishes, and, depend upon it, you 
will do much towards preserving your families from sick- 
ness, disease and death 

If this method were adopted in this community, I will 
venture to say that it would add ten years to the lives of 
our chidlren That is worth a great deal. 13:153-154 

If the days of man are to begin to return, we must 
cease all extravagant living. When men live to the age of 
a tree, their food will be fruit Mothers, to produce off- 
spring full of life and days, must cease drinking liquor, tea, 
and coffee, that their systems may be free from bad effects. 
If every woman in this Church will now cease drinking 
tea, coffee, liquor, and all other powerful stimulants, and 
live upon vegetables, etc not many generations will pass 
away before the days of man will again return. But it 
will take generations to eradicate entirely the influences of 
deleterious substances 8 63. 

Living out-of-Doors — People need not be afraid of living 
out of doors, nor sleeping out of doors This country is 
much healthier than the lowlands in the States, or than 
many places in the Old World 4 92 

Good pure air is the greatest sustainer of animal life. 
Other elements of life we can dispense with for a time, but 
this seems to be essential every moment; hence the nec- 
essity of well ventilated dwelling-houses, especially the 
rooms occupied for sleeping. You can live without water 
and food longer than you can without air, and water is of 
more importance than meat and bread. 8 168 

The out-door air is what the people need for health, it 
is good for them to camp out. Close houses are injurious 
to the health ; if our houses were every one of them levelled 
to the ground, and we were obliged to live in our wagons 



THE WORD OF WISDOM 2% 

and tents, the people would be healthier, from year to year, 
than they are now. Good houses are comfortable and very 
convenient, and please our feelings, and are tolerably 
healthful when properly ventilated 2 284. 

What gives the people colds and makes them sick? You 
hear many say "I had not had a cold this fall, until I came 
into our new house " Brethren and sisters that have come 
into the city from living in the canyons, and those who 
have arrived from the States this season, have not been 
troubled with colds until they came into warm houses; 
that gives them colds, by depriving their lungs of the bene- 
fit they are organized to receive from the atmosphere 
4 91. 

We should have plenty of pure, fresh air. If children 
are kept in close bed-rooms, they become puny and weakly 
Let them sleep where they can have abundance of pure 
air, in well ventilated rooms, or out of doors, in the summer 
time, in a safe place; it will be most beneficial for their 
health 12*218 

Exercise and Mental Vigor — Do you know that it is 
your privilege so to live that your minds may all the time 
be perfectly within your control? Study to preserve your 
bodies in life and health, and you will be able to control 
your minds 8 135. 

My mind becomes tired, and perhaps some of yours do. 
If so, go and exercise your bodies. 6 148. 

In the eastern country there was a man who used to go 
crazy, at times, and then come to his senses again. One 
of his neighbors asked him what made him go crazy ; he 
replied, "I get to thinking, and thinking, until finally I think 
so far that I am not always able to think back again." Can 
you think too much for the spirit which is put m the taber- 



296 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

nacle? You can, and this is a subject which I wish the 
brethren instructed upon, and the people to understand 
The spirit is the intelligent part of man, and is intimately 
connected with the tabernacle. Let this intelligent part 
labor to excess, and it will eventually overcome the tab- 
ernacle, the equilibrium will be destroyed, and the whole 
organization deranged. Many people have deranged them- 
selves by thinking too much. 

The thinking part is the immortal or invisible portion, 
and it is that which perforins the mental labor; then the 
tabernacle, which is formed and organized for that express 
purpose, brings about or effects the result of that mental 
labor. Let the body work with the mind, and let them 
both labor fairly together, and, with but few exceptions, 
you will have a strong-minded, athletic individual, power- 
ful both physically and mentally. 

When you find the thinking faculty perfectly active, 
in a healthy person, it should put the physical organization 
into active operation, and the result of the reflection is car- 
ried out, and the object is accomplished. In such a person 
you will see mental and physical health and strength com- 
bined, in their perfection. 3 :247. 

As for health, it is far healthier to walk than to ride, 
and better every way for the people. 4:103. 

Many persons are so constituted, that if you put them 
in a parlor, keep a good fire for them, furnish them tea, 
cake, sweet meats, etc, and nurse them tenderly, soaking 
their feet, and putting them to bed, they will die in a short 
time; but throw them into snow banks, and they will live 
a great many years. Brother Heywood would have been in 
his grave long ago, if he had not led an out-door life, and 



THE WORD OF WISDOM 297 

such is the case with others ; but he is again here, and we 
have the privilege of seeing him 4-295. 

Physiological Differences— The study and practice of 
anatomy and surgery are very good; they are mechanical, 
and are frequently needed Do you not think it is neces- 
sary to give medicine sometimes? Yes, I can see the faces 
of this congregation, but I do not see two alike ; and if I 
could look into your nervous systems and behold the oper- 
ations of disease, -from the crowns of your heads to the 
soles of your feet, I should behold the same difference that I 
see in your physiognomy — there would be no two precisely 
alike Doctors make experiments, and if they find a medi- 
cine that will have the desired effect on one person, they 
set it down that it is good for everybody, but it is not so, 
for upon the second person that medicine is administered 
to, seemingly with the same disease, it might produce 
death. If you do not know this, you have not had the 
experience that I have I say that unless a man or woman 
who administers medicine to assist the human system to 
overcome disease, understands, and has that intuitive 
knowledge, by the Spirit, that such an article is good for 
that individual at that very time, they had better let him 
alone. Let the sick do without eating, take a little of some- 
thing to cleanse the stomach, bowels and blood, and wait 
patiently, and let nature have time to gain the advantage 
over the disease 15 :225. 

Feeding Children— Now, mothers, if you want to do 
good, do not let your sons and daughters drink either tea 
or coffee, while under your protection 11 352 

Some mothers, when bearing children, long for tea and 
coffee, or for brandy and other strong drinks, and if they 
give way to that influence the next time they will want 



298 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

more, and the next still more, and thus lay the foundation 
for drunkenness in their offspring. An appetite is engen- 
dered, bred, and born in the child, and it is a miracle if it 
does not grow up a confirmed drunkard. 2*270. 

Infants, children, youth, young men, and young women, 
thousands and tens of thousands of them, go to an untimely 
grave through the diseases engendered in their systems by 
their progenitors 13 276 

Sisters, will you take notice, and instruct those who 
are not here today, to adopt this rule— stop your children 
from eating meat, and especially fat meat, let them have 
composition* to drink, instead of unhealthy water , let them 
eat a little milk porridge ; let them eat sparingly and not 
oppress the stomach so as to create a fever No matter 
whether it is a child or a middle-aged person, whenever 
the stomach is over-loaded and charged with more than is 
required it creates a fever ; this fever creates sickness, until 
death relieves the sufferer 19 68 

Many husbands are made sick and many children are 
sent to an untimely grave through eating badly prepared 
food, the result of ignorance or carelessness 10 28 

Children should have milk, bread, water, and potatoes , 
and everything that would lay the foundation for disease 
should be strenously kept from their stomachs, that no 
appetites may be formed for pernicious subtances, which, 
when formed, cannot be overcome easily, if at all 2.21. 

I will tell you how you can enjoy health. You let your 
children have a little* milk in the morning Give them a 
little bread with it — not soft bread, teach your children to 
eat crust — hard baked bread, that the Americans would call 
stale, but the English would not Teach them to eat this, 



*Define Composition. 



THE WORD OF WISDOM 299 

and to eat sparingly. Instead of drinking unhealthy water, 
boil such water, and let it stand until it is cool. If the chil- 
dren are in the least troubled with summer complaint, and 
are weak in their bowels, make a weak composition tea, 
sweeten it with loaf sugar and put a little nice cream m it ; 
and let the children make a practice of drinking composition 
instead of cold water. Mothers, keep the children from eat- 
ing meat; and let them eat vegetables that are fully ma- 
tured, not unripe, and bread that is well baked, not soft. 
Do not put your loaf into the oven with a fire hot enough 
to burn it before it is baked through, but with a slow heat, 
and let it remain until it is perfectly baked; and I would 
prefer, for my own eating, each and every loaf to be not 
thicker than my two hands — you tell how thick they are — 
and I would want the crust as thick as my hand 19 :67. 

Be careful of your bodies ; be prudent in laying out your 
energies, for when you are old you will need the strength 
and power you are now wasting. Preserve your lives 
Until you know and practice this, you are not thoroughly 
good soldiers nor wise stewards. 8 136-137. 



CHAPTER XVII 
THE FAMILY 

Virtue — Purity preserves, sustains and increases. 
16:108. 

The principle of pure affection is the gift of God, and it 
is for us to learn to control it and exercise proper dominion 
over it. 6:149. 

Learn the will of God, keep his commandments and do 
his will, and you will be a virtuous person. 3 :204. 

Any man who humbles a daughter of Eve to rob her of 
her virtue, and cast her off dishonored and defiled, is her 
destroyer, and is responsible to God for the deed. If the 
refined Christian society of the nineteenth century will 
tolerate such a crime, God will not; but he will call the 
perpetrator to an account. He will be damned; in hell he 
will lift up his eyes, being in torment, until he has paid 
the uttermost farthing, and made a full atonement for his 
sins. 11:268. 

The defiler of the innocent is the one who should be 
branded with infamy and cast out from respectable society, 
and shunned as a pest, or, as a contagious disease, is 
shunned. The doors of respectable families should be closed 
against him, and he should be frowned upon by all high- 
minded and virtuous persons. Wealth, influence and posi- 
tion should not screen him from their righteous indignation. 
His sin is one of the blackest in the calendar of crime, and 
he should be cast down from the high pinnacle of respecta- 
bility and consideration, to find his place among the worst 
of felons. 11 :267. 

I would rather follow her to the grave, and send her 



THE FAMILY 301 

home pure, than suffer my daughter to be prostituted. I 
will not suffer any female member of my family to be pol- 
luted through the corruptions of wicked men. 2 -322. 

Ever since I knew that my mother was a woman I loved 
the sex, and delighted in their chastity. The man whc 
abuses, or tries to bring dishonor upon the female sex is a 
fool, and does not know that his mother and his sisters 
were women 12:194. 

Marriage — Let every man in the land over eighteen 
years of age take a wife, and then go to work with your 
hands and cultivate the earth, or labor at some mechanical 
business, or some honest trade to provide an honest living 
for yourselves and those who depend upon you for their 
subsistence; observing temperance, and loving truth and 
virtue; then would the woman be cared for, be nourished, 
honored and blest, becoming honorable mothers of a race 
of men and women farther advanced in physical and mental 
perfection than their fathers. This would create a revolu- 
tion in our country, and would produce results that would 
be of incalculable good. 12:194-195. 

Young men, fit you up a little log cabin, if it is not more 
than ten feet square, and then get you a bird to put in your 
little cage. You can then work all day with satisfaction to 
yourself considering that you have a home to go to, and a 
loving heart to welcome you. You will then have something 
to encourage you to labor and gather around you the com- 
forts of life, and a place to gather them to. Strive to make 
your little home attractive. Use lime freely, and let your 
houses nestle beneath the cool shades of trees, and be made 
fragrant with perfume of flowers. 12:204. 

The Lord says — Let my servants and handmaidens be 
sealed, and let their children be sealed 12 :164. 



302 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

We understand that we are to be made kings and priests 
unto God , now if I be made the king and lawgiver to my 
family, and if I have many sons, I shall become the father 
of many fathers, for they will have sons, and their sons will 
have sons, and so on, from generation to generation, and, 
m this way, I may become the father of many fathers, or 
the king of many kings This will constitute every man a 
prince, king, lord, or whatever the Father sees fit to confer 
upon us. 

In this way we can become king of kings, and lord of 
lords, or father of fathers, or prince of princes, and this is 
the only course, for another man is not going to raise up a 
kingdom for you. 3 .265-266 

But the whole subject of the marriage relation is not in 
my reach, nor in any other man's reach on this earth. It is 
without beginning of days or end of years; it is a hard 
matter to reach. We can tell some things with regard to it , 
it lays the foundation for worlds, for angels, and for the 
Gods, for intelligent beings to be crowned with glory, 
immortality, and eternal lives In fact, it is the thread which 
runs from the beginning to the end of the holy Gospel of 
Salvation — of the Gospel of the Son of God; it is from 
eternity to eternity 2 90. 

When a man and woman have received their endow- 
ments and sealingst, and then had children born to them 
afterwards, those children are legal heirs to the Kingdom 
and to all its blessings and promises, and they are the only 
ones that are on this earth There is not a young man in 
our community who would not be willing to travel from 
here to England to be married right, if he understood things 
as they are ; there is not a young woman in our community, 

*In the Temple— For Eternity 



IHEbAMlLY. 303 

who loves the Gospel and wishes its blessings, that would 
be married in any other way, they would live unmarried 
until they could be married as they should be, if they lived 
until they were as old as Sarah before she had Isaac born 
to her. Many of our brethren have married off their chil- 
dren without taking this into consideration, and thinking 
it a matter of little importance I wish we all understood 
this in the light in which heaven understands it 11 118. 

Our children who are born in the Priesthood are legal 
heirs, and entitled to the revelations of the Lord, and as 
the Lord lives, his angels have charge over them, though 
they may be left to themselves occasionally. 12:174. 

There is no ecclesiastical law that you know anything 
about, to free a wife from a man to whom she has been 
sealed, if he honors his Priesthood. 8 345 

I will give each of the young men in Israel, who have 
arrived at an age to marry, a mission to go straightway and 
get married to a good sister, fence a city lot, lay out garden 
and orchard and make a home This is the mission that I 
give to all young men in Israel. And I say to you, sisters, 
if you do not know how to milk a cow, you can soon learn. 
If you do not know how to feed the cows, you can learn 
If you do not know how to feed the chickens, get them and 
learn how, and if your husband takes you to live in ever 
so small and humble a cottage, make it neat and nice and 
clean, and set out flowers around the doors, and let the 
husband plant fruit trees and shade trees, and let wives 
help their husbands that they may be encouraged to take 
hold of more important business that will create an income 
sufficient to sustain their wives, and by economy and care 
become wealthy in a short time, and have your carriage to 
ride in. What a satisfaction it will be to you to know that 



304 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM young 

what you possess is the result of your industry and 
economy. 12 200-201 

Do Not Marry Unbelievers—Be careful, ye mothers 
m Israel, and do not teach your daughters in future, as 
many of them have been taught, to marry out of Israel 
Woe to you who do it, you will lose your crowns as sure 
as God lives 12 97. 

What was the cause of the first, or one of the first, 
curses that came upon Israel? I will tell you. One of the 
first transgressions of the family called Israel, was their 
going to other families or other nations to select partners. 
This was one of the great mistakes made by the children 
of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, for they would go and marry 
with other families, although the Lord had forbidden them 
to do so, and had given them a very strict and stringent 
law on the subject He commanded them not to marry 
among the Gentiles, but they did and would do it Inas- 
much as they would not do what he required of them, 
then he gave them what I call a portion of the law of carnal 
commandments This law told them what they might and 
whom they might not marry. It was referred to by the 
Savior and his Apostles and it was a grievous yoke to 
place on the necks of any people, but as the children of 
this family would run after Babylon, and after the pride 
and the vanity and evils of the world, and seek to introduce 
them into Israel, the Lord saw fit to place this burden 
upon them. 16 111 

How is it with you, sisters? Do you distinguish be- 
tween a man of God and a man of the world? It is one of 
the strangest things that happens in my existence, to think 
that any man or woman can love a being that will not re- 
ceive the truth of heaven The love this Gospel produces 



THE FAMILY 305 

is far above the love of women , it is the love of God— the 
love of eternity—of eternal lives. 8 :199-200. 

Birth Control — There are multitudes of * ure and holy 
spirits waiting to take tabernacles, now wnat is our duty? 
— To prepare tabernacles for them , to take a course that 
will not tend to drive those spirits into the families of the 
wicked, where they will be trained in wickedness, de- 
bauchery, and every species of crime. It is the duty of 
every righteous man and woman to prepare tabernacles 
for all the spirits they can. 4 :56 

This is the reason why the doctrine of plurality of wives 
was revealed, that the noble spirits which are waiting for 
tabernacles might be brought forth. 4:56 

To check the increase of our race has its advocates 
among the influential and powerful circles of society in our 
nation and in other nations The same practice existed for- 
ty-five years ago, and various devices were used by mar- 
ried persons to prevent the expenses and responsibilities 
of a family of children, which they must have incurred had 
they suffered nature's laws to rule preeminent. - That which 
was practiced then in fear and against reproving conscience, 
is now boldly trumpeted abroad as one of the best means of 
ameliorating the miseries and sorrows of humanity In- 
fanticide is very prevalent in our nation It is a crime that 
comes within the purview of the law, and is therefore not 
so boldly practiced as is the other equally great crime, 
which no doubt, to a great extent, prevents the necessity of 
infanticide The unnatural style of living, the extensive 
use of narcotics, the attempts to destroy and dry up the 
fountains of life, are fast destroying the American element 
of the nation ; it is passing away before the increase of the 
more healthy, robust, honest, and less sinful class of the 



306 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

people which are pouring into the country daily from the 
Old World. The wife of the servant man is the mother of 
eight or ten healthy children, while the wife of his master 
is the mother of one or two poor, sickly children, devoid 
of vitality and constitution, and, if daughters, unfit, in their 
turn, to be mothers, and the health and vitality which 
nature has denied them through the irregularities of their 
parents are not repaired m the least by their education. 
12:120-121. 

The Husband— Let the father be the head of the family, 
the master of his own household, and let him treat them as 
an angel would treat them; and let the wives and the 
children say amen to what he says, and be subject to his 
dictates, instead of their dictating the man, instead of their 
trying to govern him. 4 .55. 

Now let me say to the First Presidency, to the Apostles, 
to all the Bishops in Israel, and to every quorum, and espe- 
cially to those who are presiding officers, Set that example 
before your wives and your children, before your neighbors 
and this people, that you can say. "Follow me, as I follow 
Christ " When we do this, all is right, and our consciences 
are clear. 15 .229. 

I exhort you, masters, fathers, and husbands, to be af- 
fectionate and kind to those you preside over And let 
them be obedient, let the wife be subject to her husband, 
and the children to their parents Mothers, let your minds 
be sanctified before the Lord, for this is the commencement, 
the true foundation of a proper education in your children, 
the beginning point to form a disposition in your offspring, 
that will bring honor, glory, comfort, and satisfaction to 
you all your life time. 1 69. 

Let the husband and father learn to bend his will to the 



THE FAMILY 307 

will of his God, and then instruct his wives and children 
in this lesson of self-government by his example as well as 
by precept, and his neighbors also, showing them how to 
be brave and steadfast, in subduing the rebellious and sinful 
disposition. Such a course as this will eventually subdue 
that unhallowed influence which works upon the human 
heart. 9:256. 

It is for the husband to learn how to gather around his 
family the comforts of life, how to control his passions 
and temper, and how to command the respect, not only of 
his family but of all his brethren, sisters, and friends. It 
is the calling of the wife and mother to know what to do 
with everything that is brought into the house, laboring 
to make her home desirable to her husband and children, 
making herself an Eve in the midst of a little paradise of 
her own creating, securing her husband's love and confi- 
dence, and tying her offspring to herself, with a love that 
is stronger than death, for an everlasting inheritance 
10 28. 

Let the husband make an improvement upon his kitchen 
and pantry and upon his bedrooms for the benefit of his 
family, and improve his gardens, walks, etc., beautifying 
your habitations and their surroundings, making pavements 
and planting shade trees. 10.177. 

I have been into houses which have not had the lea-»t 
convenience for the women, not so much as a bench to set 
their water pails on, and they have to set them on the floor, 
and yet their husbands will sit there year after year, and 
never make so much improvement as a bench to set the pail 
on. Yet they have the ability, but they will not exercise it 
18-75. 

The father should be full of kindness, and endeavor to 



308 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

happily and cheer the mother, that her heart may be com- 
forted and her affections unimpaired in her earthly pro- 
tector, that her love for God and righteousness may vibrate 
throughout her whole being, that she may bear and bring 
forth offspring impressed and endowed with all the quali- 
ties necessary to a being designed to reign king of kings and 
lord of lords. 8-62 

The Wife— You cannot read in the Bible that women 
take the lead— that the responsibility is upon the women, 
for it is not so. 9.143. 

One thing is very true and we believe it, and that is that 
a woman is the glory of the man ; but she was not made to 
be worshiped by him. As the Scriptures say, Man is not 
without the woman, neither is woman without the man m 
the Lord. Yet woman was not made to be worshiped 
anymore than man was Woman has her influence, and she 
should use that in training her children m the way they 
should go, if she fails to do this she assumes fearful res- 
ponsibilities 14.106 

I have a word to say to my sisters When I reflect upon 
the duties and responsibilities devolving upon our mothers 
and sisters, and the influence they wield, I look upon them 
as the mainspring and soul of our being here It is true that 
man is first. Father Adam was placed here as king of the 
earth, to bring it into subjection But when Mother Eve 
cajne she had a splendid influence over him. A great many 
have thought it was not very good ; I think it was excellent. 

Now, I say the women have great influence Look at 
the nations of the earth. Any nation you like, no matter 
which, and you enlist the sympathies of the female portion 
^of it and what is there you cannot perform ? If the govern- 
ment wants soldiers, they are on hand ; if means, it is forth- 



THE FAMILY 309 

coming If you want influence and powei, and have the 
ladies on your side, they will give it you 14 :102. 

Now, a few words directly to my sisters here in the 
Kingdom of God. We want your influence and power in 
helping to build up that Kingdom and what I wish to saj 
to you is simply this, if you will govern and control your- 
selves in all things in accordance with good, sound, common 
sense and the principles of truth and righteousness, there 
is not the least fear but what father, uncle, grandfather, 
brothers, and sons will follow in the wake 14 102. 

You ought to love a woman only so far as she adorns 
the doctrine you profess 3 :360 

The mothers are the moving instruments in the hands 
of Providence to guide the destinies of nations Let the 
mothers of any nation teach their children not to make 
war, the children would grow up and never enter into it 
Let the mothers teach their children, "War, war upon 
your enemies, yes, war to the hilt 1" and they will be filled 
with this spirit. Consequently, you see at once what I wish 
to impress upon your mind is, that the mothers are the 
machinery that give zest to the whole man, and guide the 
destinies and lives of men upon the earth 19 72 

It is the right of the mother who labors in the kitchen, 
with her little prattling children around, to enjoy the Spirit 
of Christ, and to know her duty with regard to those chil- 
dren , but it is not her duty and privilege to dictate to her 
husband m his duties and business If that mother or wife 
enjoys the gift and power of the Holy Ghost, she will never 
intrude upon the rights of her husband It is the right and 
privilege of the husband to know his duty with regard to 
his wives and children, his flocks and his herds, his fields 
and his possessions; though I have seen women who, I 



310 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

thought, actually knew more about the business of life than 
their husbands themselves did, and were really more capa- 
ble of directing a farm, the building of a house, and the 
management of flocks and herds, etc., than the men were, 
but if men were to live up to their privileges this would 
not be the case, for it is their right to claim the light of 
truth and that intelligence and knowledge necessary to en- 
able them to carry on every branch of their business suc- 
cessfully 11:135 

Study order and cleanliness m your various occupations. 
Adorn your city and neighborhood. Make your homes 
lovely, and adorn your hearts with the grace of God. 
8 297. 

You may say that it is hard work to please a man ; yes, 
and woman too. But when a man does his duty in provid- 
ing for a family, there can reasonably be but little complaint 
on the part of any sensible woman. 4*314. 

Many of the sisters grieve because they are not blessed 
with offspring. You will see the time when you will have 
millions of children around you. If you are faithful to your 
covenants, you will be mothers of nations 8 *208. 

It is your right, wives, to ask your husbands to set out 
beautiful shade and fruit trees, and to get you some vines 
and flowers with which to adorn the outside of your dwell- 
ings; and if your husbands have not time, get them your- 
selves and plant them out. Some, perhaps, will say, "0, I 
have nothing but a log house, and it is not worth that." 
Yes, it is worth it. Whitewash and plaster it up, and get 
vines to run over the door, so that everybody who passes 
will say, "What a lovely little cottage !" This is your privi- 
lege and I wish you to exercise yourselves in your own 
rights 14 105 



THE FAMILY 311 

It is not my general practice to counsel the sisters to 
disobey their husbands, but my counsel is — obey your hus- 
bands ; and I am sanguine and most emphatic on that sub- 
ject. But I never counselled a woman to follow her hus- 
band to the Devil. If a man is determined to expose the 
lives of his friends, let that man go to the Devil and to des- 
truction alone. 1 77. 

A few words to the sisters, you mothers who are trifling 
with the ordinances of the house of God, and the blessings 
that are proffered to you, I will say that the time will come, 
if you persist in doing so, when you will mourn, and will 
be willing to give worlds, if you possessed them, for the 
privilege of living your lives over again. Some of you are 
treating with contempt the oracles of the Kingdom of God 
upon the earth, and in the commission of this sin you trifle 
with your own salvation, as well as the salvation of your 
children Repent, and turn unto God, and teach your chil- 
dren the importance of doing the same, and of the sacred- 
ness of the ordinances and the laws of God 18.263 

The duty of the mother is to watch over her children and 
give them their early education, for impressions received 
in infancy are lasting. You know, yourselves, by experi- 
ence, that the impressions you have received in the dawn 
of your mortal existence, bear, to this day, with the great- 
est weight upon your mind The child reposes implicit con- 
fidence in the mother, you behold in him a natural attach- 
ment, no matter what her appearance may be, that makes 
him think his mother is the best and handsomest mother 
in the world. I speak for myself. Children have all con- 
fidence in their mothers , and if mothers would take proper 
pains, they can instill "into the hearts of their children what 
they please. You will, no doubt, recollect reading, in the 



312 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

Book of Mormon, of two thousand young men, who were 
brought up to believe that, if they put their whole trust in 
God, and served him, no power would overcome them 
You also recollect reading of them going out to fight, and 
so bold were they, and so mighty their faith, that it was im- 
possible for their enemies to slay them This power and 
faith they obtained through the teachings of their mothers 

These duties and lesponsibilities devolve upon mothers 
far more than upon fathers, for you know the latter are 
often in the field or canyon, and are frequently away from 
home, sometimes for several days together, attending to 
labors which compel them to be absent from home. But 
the mother is at home with the children continually; and 
if they are taught lessons of usefulness it depends upon her. 
14 IDS 

Mothers, remember that when your husbands are en- 
gaged in the service of the Church, and are all the time oc- 
cupied in the duties of the Priesthood, so that they have 
not time to instruct their children, the duty devolves upon 
you Then bring your children up m the ways of truth, and 
be to them both a father and mother, until they are old 
enough to perform duties by the side, and under the im- 
mediate eye, of their father. I like to see mothers bring 
their children to meeting, as soon as they can be brought 
without injuring them, and when they can tell what they 
want, and call for water when they are faint. As soon as 
they are old enough to receive instruction, bring them here 
to be taught 2 21. 

Were I a woman possessed of great powers of mind, 
filled with wisdom, and, upon the whole, a magnanimous 
woman, and had been privileged with my choice, and had 
married a man, and found myself deceived, he not answer- 



THE FAMILY 



313 



ing my expectations, and I being sorry that I had made 
such a choice, let me show my wisdom by not complaining 
about it. A woman's wisdom and judgment has failed her 
once in the choice of a husband, and it may again, if she 
is not very careful. By seeking to cast off her husband- 
by withdrawing Jier confidence and good will from him, 
she casts a dark shade upon his path, when, by pursuing a 
proper course of love, obedience, and encouragement, he 
might attain to that perfection she had anticipated m him 
7:280. 

Is it not a blessing to you, mothers, to raise up Pro- 
phets and Apostles— men filled with the glory of God, to 
go forth and extend the work of our God? 8.92. 

I can say to the sisters, if you have superior talents, 
arise and let your light shine. Prove to your neighbors 
and the community that you are capable of teaching those 
sisters whom you deem to be ignorant or neglectful. 7 *162 

Children— I wish to say to the children, obey your par- 
ents, be good, never suffer yourselves to do that which will 
mortify you through life, and that will cause you to look 
back with regret While you are pure and spotless pre- 
serve yourselves in the integrity of your souls. Although 
you are young you know good from evil, and live so that 
you can look back on your lives and thank the Lord that 
he has preserved you, or has enabled you to preserve your- 
selves, so that you have no misconduct to regret or mourn 
over. Take this course and you will secure to yourselves 
an honorable name on earth among the good and the pure ; 
you will maintain your integrity before heaven, and prove 
yourselves worthy of a high state of glory when you get 
through with this world, 14:200. 

You may say to yourselves, "If I can do as well as my 



314 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

parents, I think I shall do well, and be as good as I want 
to be, and I should not strive to excel them " But if you 
do your duty you will far excel them m everything that is 
good-— in holiness, in physical and intellectual strength, foi 
this is your privilege, and it becomes your duty 2*18. 

Our young folks who have arrived at years of maturity 
should think and act for themselves. They are citizens of 
the earth, they have a share here, and have a part to bear— 
a character to form and frame and present to the world, or 
they will sink into oblivion and forgetfulness 13 '263. 

The spirits which are reserved have to be born into the 
world, and the Lord will prepare some way for them to 
have tabernacles. 3 -264. 

I can pick out scores of men in this congregation who 
have driven their children from them by using the wooden 
rod Where there is severity there is no affection or filial 
feeling m the hearts of either party, the children would 
rather be away from father than be with him. 9.196. 

Those whom I once knew as little boys are growing 
out of my recollection , these young men know nothing but 
"Mormonism." They are in some instances called wild and 
ungovernable, but these wild boys, properly guided and 
directed, will make the greatest men who have ever lived 
upon this earth ; and I want them to throw aside their dif- 
fidence and come up and shake hands with me, and say, 
"How do you do, Brother Brigham?" for I feel warmly to- 
wards them. 11 118 

Family Life— If every person, who professes to be a 
Latter-day Saint, was actually a Saint, our home would be 
a paradise, there would be nothing heard, nothing felt, noth- 
ing realized, but praise to the name of our God, doing our 
duty, and keeping his commandments. 3 254. 



THE FAMILY 315 

To gam the spiritual ascendancy over ourselves, and 
the influences with which we are surrounded, through a 
rigid course of self-discipline, is our first consideration, it 
is our first labor, before we can pave the way for our chil- 
dren to grow up without sin unto salvation. 2 :131. 

In my experience I have learned that the greatest dif- 
ficulty that exists in the little bickerings and strifes of man 
with man, woman with woman, children with children, 
parents with children, brothers with sisters, and sisters with 
brothers, arises from the want of rightly understanding each 
other. 4:368. 

In our daily pursuits in life, of whatever nature and 
kind, Latter-day Samts, and especially those who hold im- 
portant positions in the Kingdom of God, should maintain a 
uniform and even temper, both when at home and when 
abroad They should not suffer reverses and unpleasant 
circumstances to sour their natures and render them fretful 
and unsocial at home, speaking words full of bitterness and 
biting acrimony to their wives and children, creating gloom 
and sorrow in their habitations, making themselves feared 
rather than loved by their families Anger should never 
be permitted to rise in our bosoms, and words suggested 
by angry feelings should never be permitted to pass our 
lips. "A soft answer turneth away wrath, but grievous 
words stir up anger " "Wrath is cruel, and anger is out- 
rageous ," but "the discretion of a man deferreth his anger ; 
and it is his glory to pass over a transgression." 11 :136. 

Fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters are no more to 
me than are any other persons, unless they embrace this 
work. Here are my fathers, my mothers, my sisters, and 
my brethren in the Kingdom, and I have none outside of it, 
neither in any part of the earth, nor in all the eternity of 



316 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

the Gods. In this Kingdom are my acquaintances, relatives, 
and friends,— my soul, my affections, my all 8.199. 

If a child or relative of mine forsakes the Gospel, the 
holy Priesthood, hib God, and the Kingdom of God, farewell 
to that child or relative, -whether near or distant I own 
none as relatives, only those who love and serve our Lord 
and Savior, Jesus Christ All that belong to my Father's 
house I own. I love them, I delight in their society, no mat- 
ter whether they are poor or rich, learned or unlearned, if 
they observe the laws of the Kingdom of God and live ac- 
cording to it. 9 155 

If children have sinned against their parents, or hus- 
bands against their wives, or wives against their husbands, 
let them confess their faults one to another and forgive each 
other, and there let the confession stop , and then let them 
ask pardon from their God. Confess your sins to whoever 
you have sinned against, and let it stop there If you have 
committed a sin against the community, confess to them 
If you have sinned in your family, confess there. Confess 
your sins, iniquities, and follies, where that confession be- 
longs, and learn to classify your actions, 4 78. 

Let us live so that the spirit of our religion will live 
within us, then we have peace, joy, happiness and content- 
ment, which makes such pleasant fathers, pleasant mothers, 
pleasant children, pleasant households, neighbors, commu- 
nities and cities That is worth living for, and I do think 
that the Latter-day Saints ought to strive for this. 15 .135. 

I will illustrate the method of establishing confidence 
in each other by taking, for example, the child of four or 
five years of age The mother allows that child to own a 
small chest in which to keep his little trinkets, such as lit- 
tle bosom pins, ribbons, doll clothes, etc. This is considered 



THE FAMILY 



317 



by all the family the child's chest Now let none go into 
that chest and take anything from it, without the consent 
of the child This is a very small matter, some may think ; 
but begin at as small a point as this to create confidence, 
and let it grow up from little to much. Wives, let your 
husband's stores alone, if they have not committed them 
to your charge. Husbands, commit that to your wives that 
belongs to them, and never search their boxes without their 
consent. I can boast of this. I have lived in the marriage 
relation nearly thirty years, and I never was the man to 
open my wife's chest, without her consent, except once, and 
that was to get out a likeness that I wanted on the instant, 
and she was not at home to get it for me. That was the 
first time I ever opened a trunk in my life, that belonged 
to my wife, or to my child. The child's little chest, with 
its contents, is as sacred to him, as mine is to me. If this 
principle were strictly carried put by every man, woman, 
and child among the Saints, it would make them a blessed 
people indeed. 1 '315. 

I wish the daughters of Israel to far exceed their moth- 
ers in wisdom. And I wish these young men and boys to 
far exceed their fathers. I wish my sons to far exceed me 
in goodness and virtue. 2 17. 

I say to our young men, be faithful, for you do not know 
what is before you, and abstain from bad company and 
bad habits Let me say to the boys sixteen years old and 
even younger, make up your minds to mark out the path 
of rectitude for yourselves, and when evil is presented, let 
it pass by unnoticed by you, and preserve yourselves in 
truth, in righteousness, virtue and holiness before the Lord. 
You were born in the Kingdom of God , it is to be built up ; 
the earth has to be renovated, and the people sanctified, 



318 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

after they are gathered from the nations, and it requires 
considerable skill and ability to do this ; let our young men 
prepare themselves to aid and do their part in this great 
work. I want you to remember this teaching with regard 
to our youth. 11.118. 

Importance o£ Early Training — We see the infant in its 
mother's arms. What is this infant here for? What is the 
design in the creation of this little infant child ? It lies here 
in its mothers' arms ; it would not resist, in the least, if it 
were dropped into a caldron of boiling oil ; if it were thrown 
into fire it would not know it until it felt the flames ; it 
might be laid down here, and the wolf might come and lick 
its face, and it would not know but that its mother was 
soothing it. You see this foundation, the starting point, 
the germ of intelligence embodied in this infant, calculated 
■to grow and expand into manhood, then to the capacity of 
an angel, and so onward to eternal exaltation. But here 
is the foundation. Sent to school, the child learns to read, 
and continues to improve as long as it lives. Is this the 
end of the knowledge of man? No. It is only the begin- 
ning. It is the first stage of all the intelligence that the 
philosopher in his reflections, taking the starry world be- 
fore him.j and looking into the immensity of the creations 
of God, can imagine. Here is the first place where we 
learn, this is^ the foot of the hill. 19:46. 

When children are old enough to labor in the field, then 
the father will take them in charge. If children are not 
taught by their mothers, in the days of their youth, to re- 
vere and follow the counsels of their fathers, it will be hard 
indeed for the father ever to control them. 1:68. 

Parents, have you ever noticed that your children have 
exercised faith for you when you have been sick? The little 



THE FAMILY 319 

daughter, seeing you sick, will lift her heart with a pure, 
angelic-like prayer to heaven ; and disease is rebuked when 
that kind of faith is exercised God bless the children ' I 
pray that they may live and be reared up in righteousness, 
that God may have a people that will spread and establish 
one universal reign of peace, and possess the powers of the 
world to come. 8*117. 

Influence of the Mother— Let mothers commence to 
teach their children while in their laps, there do you teach 
them to love the Lord, and keep his commandments Teach 
them to keep your commandments, and you will teach them 
to keep the commandments of your husbands It is not the 
prerogative of a child to dictate to his mother, or his father ; 
and it is not the prerogative of the father to rise up and 
dictate to his God whom he serves. 1 68. 

If you, miners, will live your religion, then in the love 
and fear of God teach your children constantly and thor- 
oughly in the way of life and salvation, training them up in 
the way they should go, when they are old they will not 
depart from it. I promise you this, it is as true as the shin- 
ing sun, it is an eternal truth. In this duty we fail, we 
do not bring up our children in the way they should go, or 
there would be no turning away, wandering here and there 
from the society of the Saints. We let our children do too 
much as they have a mind to , if they want this or that their 
wishes must be gratified. 19 92 

If a mother wishes to control her child, in the first place 
let her learn to control herself, then she may be successful 
in bringing the child into perfect subjection to her will. 
14 277. 

The first thing that is taught by the mother to the child 



320 - DISCOURSES OF BSIGHAM YOUNG 

should be true ; we should never allow ourselves to teach 
our children one thing and practice another 13 244 

I have often thought and said, "How necessary it is for 
mothers, who are the first teachers of their children and 
who make the first impressions on their young minds, to be 
strict " How careful they should be never to impress a 
false idea on the mmd o£ a child ' They should never teach 
them anything unless they know it is correct in every re- 
spect They should never say, a word, especially in the 
hearing of a child that is improper How natural it is for 
women to talk baby talk to their children ; and it seems just 
as natural for the men to do so. It is just as natural for me 
as to draw my breath to talk nonsense to a child on my lap, 
and yet I have been trying to break myself of it ever since 
I began to have a family 14.105 

Teach Children the Gospel— If we do not take the pains 
to train our children, to teach and instruct them concern- 
ing these revealed truths, the condemnation will be upon 
us, as parents, or at least in a measure 19.92. 

Teach your children from their youth, never to set their 
hearts immoderately upon an object of this world. 3 .357. 

Bring up your children in the love and fear of the Lord , 
study their dispositions and their temperaments, and deal 
with them accordingly, never allowing yourself to correct 
them in the heat of passion , teach them to love you rather 
than to fear you, and let it be your constant care that the 
children that God has so kindly given you are taught in 
their early youth the importance of the oracles of God, and 
the beauty of the principles of our holy religion, that when 
they grow to the years of man and womanhood they may 
always cherish a tender regard for them and never forsake 
the truth I do not wish you to lay the stress and import- 



THE FAMILY 321 

ance upon outward ceremonies that many do. Parents, 
teach your children by precept and example, the importance 
of addressing- the Throne of grace : teach them how to live, 
how to draw from the elements the necessaries of life, and 
teach them the laws ol life that they may know how to pre- 
serve themselves in health and be able to minister to others. 
And when instructing them in the principles of the Gospel, 
teach them that they are true, truth sent down from heaven 
for our salvation, and that the Gospel incorporates every 
truth whether in heaven, in earth, or in hell , and teach them, 
too, that we hold the keys of eternal life, and that they must 
obey and observe the ordinances and laws pertaining to this 
holy Priesthood, which God has revealed and restored for 
the exaltation of the children of men 19*221. 

If the law of Christ becomes the tradition of this people, 
the children will be brought up according to the law of the 
celestial kingdom, else they are not brought up in the way 
they should go. 3 327. 

Latter-day Saints, have your children come to meeting 
Sisters, let your little girls go to Sunday school or come to 
meeting! Brethren, let your children go to Sunday school, 
or to meeting, and advise your neighbors to do the same. 
14 118 

In the morning, it is true, there are many in the Sun- 
day school, and that we recommend; but in the afterpart 
of the day, where are these school children? Are they 
playing m the streets, or are they visiting? In going to 
Sunday school they have done their duty so far; but they 
ought to be here. In their youth they ought to learn the 
principles and doctrines of their faith, the arguments for 
truth, and the advantages of truth. 15 :83. 

Teach your children honesty and uprightness, and teach 



322 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

them also never to injure others. As I say to my sisters 
sometimes, "Look here, my dear sister, if your child quar- 
rels with your neighbor's child, do not chasten your neigh- 
bor s child Go and make peace, be a peace-maker. Teach 
your child never to do a wrong; and if your neighbor's 
child has injured you or yours, or taken anything from you, 
never mind You stop until you find out. Perhaps the 
child has meant no wrong You should learn the facts in 
the case, and go with a meek, humble, quiet spirit, and peace 
will result." 13,252. 

Parents Should Teach by Example : If parents will con- 
tinually set before their children examples worthy of their 
imitation and the approval of our Father m Heaven, they 
will turn the current, and the tide of feelings of their chil- 
dren, and they, eventually, will desire righteousness more 
than evil. 14*195. 

Let the father and mother, who are members of this 
Church and Kingdom, take a righteous course, and strive 
with all their might never to do a wrong, but to do good all 
their lives , if they have one child or one hundred children, 
if they conduct themselves towards them as they should, 
binding them to the Lord by their faith and prayers, I care 
not where those children go, they are bound up to their par- 
ents by an everlasting tie, and no power of earth or hell 
can separate them from their parents in eternity ; they will 
return again to the fountain from whence they sprang 
11 215. 

We should never permit ourselves to do anything that 
we are not willing to see our children do. We should set 
them an example that we wish them to imitate. Do We 
realize this 7 How often we see parents demand obedience, 
good behavior, kind words, pleasant looks, a sweet voice 



THE FAMILY 323 

and a bright eye from a child or children when they them- 
selves are full of bitterness and scolding ! How inconsist- 
ent and unreasonable this is 1 14-192, 

Parents should never drive their children, but lead them 
along, giving them knowledge as their minds are prepared 
to receive it Chastening may be necessary betimes, but 
parents should govern their children by faith rather than 
by the rod, leading them kindly by good example into all 
truth and holiness 12 174 

Our children will have the love of the truth, if we but 
live our religion Parents should take that course that their 
children can say, "I never knew my father to deceive or 
take advantage of a neighbor; I never knew my father to 
take to himself that which did not belong to him, never, 
never ! No, but he said, 'Son, or daughter, be honest, true, 
virtuous, kind, industrious, prudent and full of good 
works'." Such teachings from parents to their children 
will abide with them forever, unless they sin against the 
Holy Ghost, and some few, perhaps, will do this 14-195 

Guides for Child Training— We can guide, direct, and 
prune a tender sprout, and it inclines to our direction, if it 
is wisely and skilfully applied So, if we surround a child 
with healthy and salutary influences, give him suitable in- 
structions and store his mind with truthful traditions, may 
be that will direct his feet in the way of life. 9 .248. 

A child loves the smiles of its mother, but hates her 
frowns. I tell the mothers not to allow the children to in- 
dulge in evils, but at the same time to treat them with 
mildness. If a child is required to step in a certain direc- 
tion, and it does not seem willing to do so, gently put it in 
the desired way, and say, There, my little dear, you must 
step when I speak to you. Children need directing and 



324 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

teaching what is right in a kind, affectionate manner 8 74 

You cannot break down the indomitable will of the hu- 
man family. I have known children to be so abused and 
whipped as to render them almost or entirely worthless, and 
still the indomitable will remained. 6 332. 

Now understand it—- when parents whip their children 
for reading novels, and never let them go to the theater, or 
to any place of recreation and amusement, but bind them 
to the moral law, until duty becomes loathsome to them , 
when they are freed by age from the rigorous training of 
their parents, they are more fit for companions to devils, 
than to be the children of such religious parents. 2 .94. 

It never hurts my feelings to see young exuberant life 
and animation manifest themselves Do not be discouraged 
about the follies of the young. 7 '336 

You see, hear and witness a good deal of contention 
among children — some of you do, if not all — and I will give 
you a few words with regard to your future lives, that you 
may have children that are not contentious, not quarrel- 
some Always be good-natured yourselves, is the first step 
Never allow yourselves to become out of temper and get 
fretful Why, mother says, "this is a very mischievous lit- 
tle boy or little girl" What do you see? That amount of 
vitality in those little children that they cannot be still If 
they cannot do anything else they will tip over the chairs, 
cut up and pull away at anything to raise a row. They are 
so full of life that they cannot contain themselves , and they 
are something like ourselves—boys They have so much 
vitality in them that their bones fairly ache with strength. 
They have such an amount of vitality — life, strength and 
activity, that they must dispose of them ; and the young 
ones will contend with each other. Do not be out of tern- 



THE FAMILY 325 

per yourselves Always sympathize with them and soothe 
them. Be mild and pleasant. 19.69. 

I believe in indulging children, in a reasonable way If 
the little girls want dolls, shall they have them? Yes. But 
must they be taken to the dressmaker's to be dressed'' No 
Let the girls learn to cut and sew the clothing for their 
dolls, and in a few years they will know how to make a 
dress for themselves and others Let the little boys have 
tools, and let them make their sleds, little wagons, etc t and 
when they grow up, they are acquainted with the use of 
tools and can build a carnage, a house, or anything else. 
9 173. 

Be careful of the clothing, you have. Do not let your 
children's clothing lie underfoot when you undress them 
at night, but teach your boys and girls, when they come 
into the house, to find a place for their hats, cloaks, and 
bonnets, that, when they want them, they can put their 
hands upon them in a moment When they take off their 
boots and shoes, let them be deposited where they can be 
found m the dark, that, if the children are obliged to get up 
at night, perhaps in case of fire, they can find their clothing, 
and not be under the necessity of being turned out naked 
If a person can put his hand on his clothing, he can dress 
in the dark. 9.172-3. 

What did you promise your little girl if she would do 
so and so? Did you promise her a present for well doing? 
"Yes." Have you recollected it? "No, it has gone from 
my mind," says the mother. If she does ill have you prom- 
ised her a chastisement ? "Yes " Did you keep your word? 
You have not, and the child forms the conclusion in its own 
mind directly that the mother tells that which is not true- 
she says she will do this or that, and she does not do it. It 



326 DISCOURSES OF BRIGH^M YOUNG 

is an easy lesson for mothers to learn to pass their time 
with their children and nevei give them a ialse impression 
Think before you speak, promise your children nothing. If 
you wish to make them presents, do so ; if you promise a 
chastisement, keep your word, but be cautious ! 13 244 

Mothers, will you be missionaries? We will appoint 
you a mission to teach yom children their duty, and in- 
stead of ruffles and fine dresses to adorn the body, teach 
them that which will adorn their minds. Let what you 
have to clothe them with be neat and clean and nice • Teach 
them cleanness and purity of body and the principles of sal- 
vation, and they will delight to come to these meetings 
14 220 

I delight to see the mother teach her daughters to be 
housekeepers, to be particular, clean, and neat, to sew, spin, 
and weave; to make butter and cheese; and I have no ob- 
jection to their learning to cultivate flowers, herbs, and use- 
ful shrubs in the gardens. It is good for their health to 
rise early in the morning and work in the soil an hour or 
two before breakfast, this practice is especially beneficial to 
those who have weak lungs And while you delight in 
raising flowers, etc , do not neglect to learn how to take 
care of the cream, and how to make of it good wholesome 
butter, and of the milk good healthy nutritious cheese, 
neither forget your sewing, spinning, and weaving, and I 
would not have them neglect to learn music and would 
encourage them to read history and the Scriptures, to take 
up a newspaper, geography, and other publications, and 
make themselves acquainted with the manners and customs 
of distant kingdoms and nations, with their laws, religion, 
geographical location on the face of the world, their climate, 
natural productions, the extent of their commerce, and the 



THE FAMILY 327 

nature of then political organization ; in fine, let our boys 
and girls be thoroughly instructed m every useful branch 
of physical and mental education Let this education begin 
early Teach little children the principles of order ; the lit- 
tle girl to put the broom in its right place, to arrange the 
stove furniture in the neatest possible way, and everything 
in its own place Teach them to lay away their clothing 
neatly, and where it can be found ; and when they tear their 
frocks and aprons teach them how to mend the rent so 
neatly that the place cannot be seen at a short distance, 
and instead of asking your husbands to buy them ribbons 
and frills, teach them to make them of the material we can 
produce. Teach the little boys to lay away the garden hoe, 
the spade, etc , where they will not be destroyed by rust ; 
and let them have access to tools that they may learn their 
use, and develop their mechanical skill while young; and 
see that they gather up the tools when they have done with 
them, and deposit them in the proper place Let both males 
and females encourage within them mechanical ingenuity, 
and seek constantly to understand the world they are in, 
and what use to make of their existence. 9 .188-189 

I would like to see the time when our sisters will take 
more pains to beautify their children. When your children 
arise in the morning, instead of sending them out of doors 
to wash in cold, hard water, with a little soft soap, and 
wiping them as though you would tear the skin off them, 
creating roughness and darkness of skin, take a piece of 
soft flannel, and wipe the faces of your children smooth 
and nice, dry them with a soft cloth; and instead of giving 
them pork for their breakfast, give them good wholesome 
bread and sweet milk, baked potatoes and also buttermilk 
if they like it, and a little fruit, and I would have no ob- 



328 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

jections to their eating a little rice. Rice is an excellent 
food for children, and I wish some of the brethren would 
cultivate it in these valleys. Upland rice will flourish in 
this country. Train up your children to be beautiful and 
fair, instead of neglecting them until they are sunburned 
and become like the natives of our mountains. 12.201. 

Need of Parent Training — You should go to work to 
study and see what you can do for the recovery of your 
children If a child is taken sick with fever, give it some- 
thing to stay that fever or relieve that stomach and bowels, 
so that mortification may not set in Treat the child with 
prudence and care, with faith and patience, and be careful 
in not overcharging it with medicine If you take too much 
medicine into the system, it is worse than too much food. 
But you will always find that an ounce of preventive is 
worth a pound of cure. Study and learn something for 
yourselves It is the privilege of a mother to have faith 
and to administer to her child; this she can do herself, as 
well as sending for the Elders to have the benefit of their* 
faith. 13:155. 



CHAPTER XVIII 
SOME WOMANLY DUTIES 

The Housewife — I am addressing myself to the ladies of 
the Kingdom of God, to those who know how to keep their 
houses, furniture and beds pure and clean, who can cook 
food for their husbands, and children in a way that it will 
be clean, tasteful and wholesome. The woman that can 
do this I call a lady In this view I differ from the world 
generally; for the lady of the world is not supposed to know 
anything about what is going on in the kitchen ; her highest 
ambition is to be sure and be in the fashion, at no matter 
what cost to her husband or father; she considers that she 
may as well be out of the world as out of the fashion. 
11:138. 

A good housewife, whether she possesses much or little, 
will have a place for everything she has in the house, and 
make her house orderly and comfortable, and everything 
when wanted can be found in its place. 9:157. 

If I had nothing but a piece of an old newspaper folded 
for a holder I would have it where I could put my hand 
on it in a moment, in the dark if I wanted it And so 
with the dishcloth, the broom, the chairs, tables, sofas, and 
everything about the house, so that if you had to get up in 
the night you could lay your hand on whatever you wanted 
instantly. Have a place for everything and everything in 
its place. 14:89. 

When I go into a house, I can soon know whether the 
woman is an economical housekeeper or not; and if I stay 
a few days, I can tell whether a husband can get rich or not. 
If she is determined on her own course, and* will waste and 



330 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

spoil the food entrusted to her, that man will always be 
poor. 4 :313. 

It is an old saying that a woman can throw out of the 
window with a spoon as fast as a man can throw into the 
door with a shovel , but a good house-keeper will be saving 
and economical and teach her children to be good house- 
keepers, and how to take care of everything that is put in 
their charge. 12.195. 

Ladies, if you are the means of plunging this whole 
people into debt so as to distress them, will there be any- 
thing required of you? I think there will, for you will be 
judged according to your works. Are not the men as ex- 
travagant as the women ? Yes, certainly they are, and just 
as foolish. I could point out instances by the score and by 
the hundred of men who are just as unwise, shortsighted, 
and foolish as the women can be; but a condemnation of the 
male portion of the community will not justify the female 
portion of it 14*105. 

Now, sisters, if you will consider these things you will 
readily see that time is all the capital stock there is on the 
earth, and you should consider your time golden, it is actu- 
ally wealth, and, if properly used, it brings that which will 
add to your comfort, convenience, and satisfaction. Let 
us consider this, and no longer sit with hands folded, wast- 
ing time, for it is the duty of every man and of every woman 
to do all that is possible to promote the Kingdom of God 
on the earth. 18:77. 

If there are women who want to do good, let them do 
their own work, and save their sixpences and dollars for 
the building of temples, tabernacles, meeting-houses, 
school-houses, educating the youth, preaching the Gospel, 
and gathering the poor 11 *351. 



SOME WOMANLY DUTIES 331 

What I say of housewives will fully apply to farmers 
and mechanics I labored many years as a mechanic, and 
m the darkest night I could put my hand upon any tool I 
used. You may call this boasting, but it is not It is merely 
mentioning the order m which I kept my shop 8 296 

Count the steps that a woman takes when she is doing 
her work, let them be measured, and it will be found that 
m many instances she had taken steps enough to have trav- 
eled from fifteen to twenty miles a day, I will warrant this 
to be the case. 4:101. 

Woman's Fashions — Beauty must be sought in the ex- 
pression of the countenance, combined with neatness and 
cleanliness and graceful manners 18 '75. 

Anything is ridiculous, more or less, that is not comely 
14:17. 

Let the beauty of your adorning be the work of your 
hands 1975. 

I love to see the human form and the human face 
adorned, but let our adorning be the workmanship of our 
hands, from the elements with which we are constantly 
surrounded I love beauty whether adorned or unadorned 
I love chaste and refined manners, especially when they are 
founded upon virtue. 10:6. 

In the works of God, you see an eternal variety, con- 
sequently we do not ask the people to become Quakers, and 
all the men wear wide-brimmed hats, and the ladies wear 
drab or cream-colored silk bonnets projecting in the front, 
perhaps six or seven inches, rounded on the corners, with 
a cape behind. 14-17. 

The daughters of Israel should understand what fash- 
ions they should have, without borrowing from the impure 
and unrighteous. 12:220. 



332 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

Create your own fashions, and make your clothing to 
please yourselves, independent of outside influences; and 
make your hats and bonnets to shade you. I wish you, sis- 
ters, to listen to these counsels, and place yourselves in a 
condition to administer to the poor Get your husbands to 
provide you with a little of this and a little of that of which 
you can make something by adding your own labor, I do 
not mean that you shall apply to them for five dollars and 
ten dollars to spend for that which is of no profit, but manu- 
facture something that will be useful as well as beautiful 
and comely. 12 -202. 

Not flaunting, flirting and gossiping, as a great many 
are, and thinking continually of their dresses, and of this 
that and the other that will minister to and gratify their 
vanity. Such women seldom thmk of their prayers 15 162 

I am ashamed to see the tight clothes — to see the shape 
of the ladies. 19.75. 

Ask your mothers, then, to make your clothes suitable 
and becoming, and keep your hair smooth and nice. The 
hair is given to the female for adornment, and therefore let 
the ladies, young and old, adorn their heads with their hair 
Mothers should study and childien should study to preserve 
the skin of the children from being ruined by dirt, and the 
heat of a scorching sun, and to keep themselves clean and 
pure. 19:65 

If I were a lady and had a piece of cloth to make me 
a dress, I would cut it so as to cover my person handsomely 
and neatly, and whether it was cut according to the fashion 
or not, custom would soon make it beautiful. 15 :38. 

It adds no beauty to a lady, in my opinion, to adorn 
her with fine feathers. When I look at a woman, I look at 
her face, which is composed of her forehead, cheeks, nose, 



SOME WOMANLY DU1IES 333 

mouth and chm, and I like to see it clean, her hair combed 
neat and nice, and her eyes bright and sparkling; and if 
they are so, what do I care what she has on her head, or 
how or of what material her dress is made? Not the least 
m the world. 18 74 

The Lord instructs us in a re\ elation, to let our cloth- 
ing be plain. "Let all thy garments be plain, and their 
beauty the beauty of the work of thine own hands." He 
never said to us, "Do not make a silk or satm ribbon, or 
fine broadcloth," but he has said to us, "Make the articles 
of clothing that you wear," if we do not, we shall find by 
and by that we shall not be able to get them 10 311. 

Let the sisters take care of themselves, and make them- 
selves beautiful, and if any of you are so superstitious and 
ignorant as to say that this is pride, I can say that you are 
not informed as to the pride which is sinful before the 
Lord, you are also ignorant as to the excellency of the 
heavens, and of the beauty which dwells in the society of 
the Gods. Were you tp see an angel, you would see a 
beautiful and lovely creature. Make yourselves like angels 
in goodness and beauty. Let the mothers in Israel make 
their sons and daughters healthy and beautiful, by cleanli- 
ness and a proper diet. Whether you have much or little 
clothing for your children, it can be kept clean and healthy, 
and be made to fit their persons neatly. Make your chil- 
dren lovely and fair that you may delight in them Cease 
to send out your children to herd sheep with their skins 
exposed to the hot sun, until their hands and faces appear 
as though they lived in an ash heap. I call upon my sis- 
ters to lead out in these things. 12 .201. 

It is a disgrace to a community to drag their cloth in 
the dirt How many women are there here today who 



334 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

walked to this Tabernacle without throwing dirt every step 
th$y took, not only on themselves but upon those who 
walked near them ? I shun them , when I see them coming 
I try to make my way in some other direction in order to 
avoid their dust. I can get enough of it without receiving 
it from them If there is a nuisance in the path, they are 
sure to wipe up a portion of it with their dress, and then 
trail it on to their carpet or into the bedrooms and distrib- 
ute it through the house. 

On the other hand I will say, ladies, if we ask you to 
make your dresses a little shorter, do not be extiavagant 
and cut them so short that we can see the tops of your 
stockings. Bring them down to the top of your shoes, and 
have them so that you can walk and clear the dust, and do 
not expose your persons. Have your dresses neat and 
comely, and conduct yourselves, in the strictest sense of 
the word, in chastity. 12 :299. 

If my mother and her grandmother got one silk dress, 
and they lived to a hundred years old, it was all that they 
wanted. I think my grandmother's silk dress came down 
to her children. She put her silk dress on when I went to 
see her. It was, I think, her wedding dress, and she had 
been married some seventy years. 19 74 

That which is convenient should be beautiful 15 38. 

As for fashion, it does not trouble me, my fashion is 
convenience and comfort 14-21. 

Some Duties of the Relief Societies— These societies are 
for the improvement of our manners, our dress, our habits, 
and our methods of living, 19.68 

The sisters in our Female Relief Societies have done 
great good. Can you tell the amount of good that the 
mothers and daughters in Israel are capable of doing? No, 



SOME WOMANLY DUTIES 335 

it is impossible. And the good they do will follow them 
to all eternity. 13 -34. 

As I have often told my sisters in the Female Relief 
Societies, we have sisters here who, if they had the priv- 
ilege of studying 1 , would make just as good mathemati- 
cians or accountants as any man ; and we think they ought 
to have the privilege to study these branches of knowledge 
that they may develop the powers with which they are en- 
dowed We believe that women are useful, not only to 
sweep houses, wash dishes, make beds, and raise babies, 
but that they should stand behind the counter, study law 
,or physic, or become good bookkeepers and be able to do 
the business in any counting house, and all this to enlarge 
their sphere of usefulness for the benefit of society at large 
In following these things they but answer the design of 
their creation. 13 61. 

Now, ladies, go to and organize yourselves into indus- 
trial societies, and get your husbands to produce you some 
straw, and commence bonnet and hat making. If every 
Ward would commence and continue this and other indus- 
trial pursuits, it would not be long before the females of 
the Wards of our Territory would have stores in their 
Wards, and means sufficient to send and get the articles 
which they need, that cannot yet be manufactured here and 
which they may want to distribute. 12:195. 

When the sisters, for instance, meet together at a quilt- 
ing or for a visit, if every one speaks, believes and loves the 
truth, and there is nothing in them that is deceptive, how 
easy it is to converse and pass the time! We all delight 
in the truth ; and if a wrong, or that which is false, is mani- 
fested it must be corrected or banished, and truth be 
adopted m the place thereof It t is the easiest life to lead 



336 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

on the face of the earth. How do I know it? By experi- 
ence , I never tried the opposite much 14 -76. 

I will here say to the Latter-day Saints, if you will feed 
the poor with a willing heart and ready hand, neither you, 
nor your children, will ever be found begging bread In 
these things the people are right, they are right in estab- 
lishing Female Relief Societies, that the hearts of the widow 
and the orphan may be made glad by the blessings which 
are so abundantly and so freely poured out upon them 
12 171. 

Sisters, do you see any children around your neighbor- 
hood poorly clad and without shoes? If you do, I say to 
you, Female Relief Societies, pick up these children and 
relieve their necessities, and send them to school And if 
you see any young, middle-aged or old ladies in need find 
them something to do that will enable them to sustain them- 
selves ; but don't relieve the idle, for relieving those who 
are able but unwilling to work is ruinous to any community. 
The time we spend here is our life, our substance, our cap- 
ital, our fortune, and that time should be used profitably 
Take these old ladies, there are a great many of them 
around rather poor, and give them something to do ; that 
is their delight You will hardly find an old lady in the 
community who has not been brought up to work; and 
they would rather knit stockings or do some other useful 
labor than eat the bread of charity. Relieve the wants of 
every individual in need in your neighborhoods This is 
in the capacity and in the power of the Female Relief So- 
cieties when it is not in the power of the Bishops. 14 107. 

I wish to call the attention of our sisters to our 'Relief 
Societies. We are happy to say that many of them have 
done a great deal We wish them to continue and progress 



SOME WOMANLY DUTIES ZZ7 

In our Relief Societies we wish to introduce many improve- 
ments. We wish our sisters of experience to teach the 
young girls not to be so anxious for the gratification of 
their imaginary wants, but to confine themselves more to 
their real necessities. Fancy has no bounds, and I often 
think it is without form and comeliness. We are too apt 
to give way to the imagination of our hearts, but if we will 
be guided by wisdom, our judgment will be corrected, and 
we will find that we can improve very much. We can 
improve the language we use. 12 :298. 

The ladies can learn to keep books as well as the men; 
we have some few, already, who are just as good account- 
ants as any of our brethren Why not teach more of them 
to keep books and sell goods, and let them do this business, 
and let the men go to raising sheep, wheat, or cattle, or go 
and do something or other to beautify the earth and help 
to make it like the Garden of Eden, instead of spending 
their time in a lazy, loafing manner? 12*374-5. 

I have a short sermon for my sisters. I wish you, un- 
der the direction of your Bishops and wise men, to estab- 
lish your Relief Societies, and organize yourselves under 
the direction of the brethren, and establish yourselves for 
doing business, gathering up your little amounts of means 
that would otherwise go to waste, and put them to usury, 
and make more of them, and thus keep gathering in. Let 
this be commenced forthwith. 12-201. 



CHAPTER XIX 
OBEDIENCE 

Counsel — How my heart tongs to see the brethren and 
sisters in a condition that when the words of truth and 
virtue — righteous words of counsel — are poured upon them, 
they will meet like drops of water meeting each other. 
How I long to see the brethren, when they hear the words 
of truth poured upon them, ready to receive those words 
because they are perfectly congenial to their feelings, and 
every soul exclaim, "Those words savor of the Spirit that 
is in me; they are my delight, my meat, and my drink; 
they are the*streams of eternal life. How congenial they 
are, instead of their being contrary to my feelings." 9 :3. 

If we hearken to counsel, we shall be the best people in 
the world; we shall be as a bright light set upon a hill, that 
cannot be hid, or like a candle upon a candlestick. 12 :173. 

If I or any other man give counsel that meets with 
opposition, that intrudes upon the affections, meditations, 
and feelings of the people, and is harsh to their ears, bitter 
to their souls, it is either not the words of truth, or they 
have not the fountain of life within them, one of the two. 
If the Lord speaks from the heavens, reveals his will, and 
it comes in contact with our feelings and notions of things, 
or with our judgments, we are destitute of that fountain 
of truth which we should possess. If our hearts are filled 
with the Spirit of truth, with the Spirit of the Lord, no 
matter what the true words from heaven are, when God 
speaks, all his subjects should shout, "Hallelujah! praise, 
God! We are ready to receive those words, for they are 
true." 9:3-4. 



OBEDIENCE 339 

Every man in the Kingdom of God would give the same 
counsel upon each subject, if he would wait until he had 
the mind of Christ upon it Then all would have one word 
and mind, and all men would sec eye to eye. 5 .100. 

If you would always pause and say, I have no counsel 
for you, I have no answer for you on this subject, because 
I have no manifestation of the Spirit, and be willing to let 
everybody in the world know that you are ignorant when 
you are, you would become wise a great deal quicker than 
to give counsel on your own judgment, without the Spirit 
of revelation 5:100. 

The Latter-day Saints who hearken to the words of the 
Lord, given to them touching their political, social, and fi- 
nancial concerns, I say, and say it boldly, that they will 
have wisdom which is altogether superior to the wisdom of 
the children of darkness, or the children of this world I 
know this by the revelations of the Lord Jesus Christ, and 
by the results of my own actions. They who have heark- 
ened to the counsels given to them m temporal matters, 
have invariably bettered their condition temporally and 
spiritually 12:118. 

Obedience — When the Lord commands the people, let 
them obey. 2-123. 

Every son and daughter of God is expected to obey with 
a willing heart every word which the Lord has spoken, 
and which he will in the future speak to us It is expected 
that we hearken to the revelations of his will, and adhere 
to them, cleave to them with all our might ; for this is sal- 
\ ation, and any thing short of this clips the salvation and 
the glory of the Saints. 2 -2. 

Obedience is one of the plainest, most every-day and 
home principles that you ever thought or know anything 



340 DISCOURSES OP BRIGHAM YOUNG 

about In the first place, learn that you have a father, and 
then learn strict obedience to that parent Is not that a 
plain, domestic, home principle ? 6 '173. 

I cannot save you. I can tell you how to save your- 
selves, but you must do the will of God. 10 .317 

How shall we know what to do? By being obedient to 
every requirement of the Gospel 8 148. 

A mere theory amounts to but little, while practice and 
obedience have to do with stern realities 9 :330 

Every good and wholesome law we should obey strictly, 
and do it with a good and honest heart 11 .134. 

Blessed are they who obey when the Lord gives a direct 
commandment, but more blessed are they who obey with- 
out a direct commandment 12:128 

Do you think that people will obey the truth because 
it is true, unless they love it? No, they will not. Truth is 
obeyed when it is loved Strict obedience to the truth will 
alone enable people to dwell in the presence of the Al- 
mighty. 7 .55 

The Lord has sent forth his laws, commandments, and 
ordinances to the children of men, and requires them to be 
strictly obeyed, and we do not wish to transgress those 
laws, but to keep them We do not wish to change his or- 
dinances, but to observe them ; we do not wish to break the 
everlasting covenant, but to keep that with our fathers, 
with Jesus, with our Father in Heaven, with holy angels, 
and to live according to them. 16:31. 

If a man is called to go and labor for the poor, if his 
Bishop calls upon him to go into the canyon after a load 
of wood for the poor, and he goes there, with his heart up- 
lifted to God, and with his eye single to the building up of 
the Kingdom, and gets the load of wood and lays it at the 



OBEDIENCE 341 

door of the Bishop for the poor, for the widow or for those 
who cannot help themselves, he is just as much m the line 
of his duty in so doing as though he were on his knees 
praying 11 '293 

This people have got to become of one heart and one 
mind They have to know the will of God and do it, for 
to know the will of God is one thing, and to bring our 
wills, our dispositions, into subjection to that which we 
do understand to be the will of God is another 3 54-5 

We believe m obeying the laws of the land, we should 
also obey the laws of God 16 -45 

Some of you may ask, "Is there a single ordinance to 
be dispensed with? Is there one of the commandments 
that God has enjoined upon the people, that he will excuse 
them from obeying?" Not one, no matter how trifling or 
small in our own estimation No matter if we esteem them 
non-essential, or least or last of all the commandments of 
the house of God, we are under obligation to observe them 
8 339 

With regard to the obedience of heavenly beings, to 
which reference has been made to-day . they live pure and 
holy, and they have attained unto this power through suf- 
fering Many of them have drunk of the bitter cup even 
to the dregs. They have learned that righteousness will 
prevail, that truth is the foundation of their very existence 
11-15 

The most effectual way to establish the religion of 
Heaven is to live it, rather than to die for it : I think 1 am 
safe in saying that there are many of the Latter-day Saints 
who are more willing to die for their religion than to live 
it faithfully. There is no other proof can be adduced to 
God, angels, and men, that a people faithfully live their 



342 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

religion, than that they repent truly of their sins, obey 
the law of baptism for the remission of sms, and then con- 
tinue to do the works of righteousness day by day. 9.333 

There are a great many texts which might be used, very 
comprehensive and full of meaning, but I know of none, 
either in the Old or New Testament, more so than that 
saying, said to ha^ e been made by the Savior, and I have 
no doubt it was, "If ye love me, keep my commandments." 

1 How long? For a day^ Keep the commandments of 
the Lord for a week p Observe and do his will for a month 
or a year? There is no promise to any individual, that I 
have any knowledge of, that he shall receive the reward of 
the just, unless he is faithful to the end If we fully un- 
derstand and faithfully carry out in our lives the saying of 
Jesus, "If ye love me, keep my commandments," we shall 
be prepared to go back and dwell in the presence of the 
Father and the Son. 

What are his commandments? Did he ever teach the 
people an} thing that is wrong? If we read the require- 
ments made by Jesus, by the Father, or by any messenger 
sent from the heavens to the children of men, we shall find 
nothing that will injure any human being or that will 
destroy the soul of one of the sons or daughters of Adam 
and Eve Many thmk that the sayings and doings of some 
of the prophets and servants of God, in ancient and mod- 
ern times, said and done in obedience to the commands 
of the Lord Almighty, tend to evil ; but it is not so All 
God's requirements tend to do good to his children. Any 
notion to the contrary is the result of ignorance The 
human family are enveloped in ignorance, so far as the 
origin and object of their existence here is concerned. Their 
ignorance, superstition, darkness and blindness are very 



OBEDIENCE 343 

apparent to all who are in the least enlightened by the 
Spirit of truth. They seek to hide themselves in ignorance 
and blindness rather than learn who they are and the ob- 
ject of their being here What do the human family know 
of God or Jesus, or of the words which I have quoted "If 
ye love me, keep my commandments ? " "Search the Scrip- 
tures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life," says 
Jesus, "and they are they which testify of me." They 
testify of the Savior, of his doctrines and requirements, and 
of the ordinances of his house; the plan of salvation is there 
portrayed, and any person who follows its dictation may 
redeem himself from the thraldom of sin, and know, by the 
Spirit, that Jestis is the Christ All who will take this 
course will know by revelation that God is our Father , they 
will understand the relationship they hold to him and to 
their fellow-beings The world may in vain ask the ques- 
tion, "Who are we?" But the Gospel tells us that we are 
the sons and daughters of that God whom we serve. Some 
say, "We are the children of Adam and Eve " So we are, 
and they are the children of our Heavenly Father. We are 
all the children of Adam and Eve, and they are the off- 
spring of him who dwells in the heavens, the highest In- 
telligence that dwells anywhere that we have any knowl- 
edge of Here we find ourselves, and when infants, the 
most helpless, and needing the most care and attention of 
any creatures that come into being on the face of the earth. 
Here we find in ourselves the germ and the foundation, the 
embryo of exaltation, glory, immortality and eternal lives. 
As we grow up we receive strength, knowledge and wis- 
dom, some more and some less; but only by keeping the 
commands of the Lord Jesus can we have the privilege of 



344 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

knowing the things pertaining to eternity and our rela- 
tionship to the heavens. 13 :310 

The most excellent human or divine laws are of no use 
to earthly or heavenly beings, unless they are faithfully 
obsen ed Law is for the protection of the law-abider ; and 
the penalty of the law is' for the law-breaker 9 332 

People will never be taken and sacrificed for their igno- 
rance, when they have had no opportunity to know and 
understand the truth Such a proceeding would be con- 
trary to the economy of heaven But after we receive and 
understand things as they are, if we then disobey, we may 
look for the chastening hand of the Almighty. 3 '246 

Walk up, ye Latter-day Saints, and wake up ! Come 
to the Lord, forsake your covetousness, your back-slidmgs, 
forsake the spirit of the world, and return to the Lord with 
full purpose of heart until you get the Spirit of Christ 
within you, that you, like others, can cry, "Abba Father, 
the Lord, he is God, and I am his servant." 15 "6. 

We have nothing to sacrifice All we have to do is to 
love and serve our God, and do everything we can to bring 
knowledge to ourselves and to the people 6*196 

When the Gospel is preached to the honest in heart 
they receive it by faith, but when they obey it labor is 
required To practice the Gospel requires time, faith, the 
heart's affections and a great deal of labor. Here many 
stop They hear and believe, but before they go on to 
practice they begin to think that they were mistaken, and 
unbelief enters into their hearts. 16.40. 

When we get to understand all knowledge, all wisdom, 
that it is necessary for us to understand m the flesh, we 
will be like clay in the hands of the potter, willing to be 
moulded and fashioned according to the will of him who 



OBEDIENCE 345 

has called us to this great and glorious work, of purifying 
ourselves and our fellow-beings, and of preparing the na- 
tions of the earth for the glory that awaits them through 
obedience. 19 .93. 

I believe that it is a, hell intolerable for a people, a fam- 
ily or ,a single person, to strive to grasp truth with one 
hand, and error with the other, to profess to walk in obe- 
dience to the commandments of God, and, at the same 
time, mingle heart and hand with the wicked. 3 254, 

Effect of Obedience — Great peace have they who love 
the law of the Lord and abide in his commandments. 8 -121 

If you wish to receive and enjoy the favor of our Heav- 
enly Father, do his will 8 :33, 

When will this people become Saints indeed? Not until 
they observe every counsel that is given to them of this 
kind, doing with their might the things that are required 
of them. 11.139. 

All who receive eternal life and salvation will receive 
it on no other conditions than believing in the Son of God 
and obeying the principles that he has laid down Can 
we devise any other means and plan of salvation? We 
cannot 13 213. 

The Saints who live their religion will be exalted, for 
they never will deny any revelation which the Lord has 
given or may give, though, when there is a doctrine com- 
ing to them which they cannot comprehend fully, they may 
be found saying, ''The Lord sendeth this unto me, and I 
pray that he will save and preserve me from denying any- 
thing which proceedeth from him, and give me patience to 
wait until I can understand it for myself." 

Such persons will never deny, but will allow those sub- 
jects which they do not understand, to remain until the 



346 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

visions of their minds become open This is the course 
which I have invariably pursued, and if anything came that 
I could not understand, I would pray until I could com- 
prehend it 

Do not reject anything because it is new or strange, 
and do not sneer nor jeer at what comes from the Lord, 
for if we do, we endanger our salvation It is given to us. 
as agents, to choose or refuse, as brother S. W. Richards 
has set before you, but we are agents within limits; if it 
were not so there would be no law. 3 -266 

By obeying the ordinances of God, mankind glorify God, 
but if they do not obey him, they do not detract one par- 
ticle from his glory and power The commandments of 
God are given to us expressly for our benefit, and if we 
live in obedience to them we shall live so as to understand 
the mind and will of God for ourselves, and concerning our- 
selves as individuals 12*126. 

How shall we know that we obey him ? There is but 
one method by which we can know it, and that is by the 
inspiration of the Spirit of the Lord witnessing unto our 
spirit that we are his, that we love him, and that he loves 
us It is by the spirit of revelation we know this. We 
have no witness to ourselves internally, without the spirit 
of revelation. We have no witness outwardly, only by obe- 
dience to the ordinances. 12.99. 

Law is made for the lawless Let the Saints live their 
religion, and there is not a law that can justly infringe upon 
them 8:140. 

There is no law against doing good. There is no law 
against love There is no law against serving God There 
is no law against charity and benevolence. There is no law 



OBEDIENCE 347 

against the principles of eternal life Live them, and no 
righteous law of man can reach you 8 140 

When the law of God is written on the hearts of a peo- 
ple, every person will know his place. 8 296. 

When men and women talk about giving everything for 
the salvation which they anticipate and live for, behold, they 
have nothing to give; nor have they anything to do, only 
to do their duty. And what is that? To improve upon 
that which is committed to their possession — to prove them- 
selves worthy to their Father and God, that ere long they 
may be worthy to receive crowns of glory, immortality and 
eternal life Then wc shall be beyond the power of Satan. 
6 196. 

So long as the Latter-day Saints will live their religion, 
they shall never be confounded, worlds without end Never 
be afraid , your hearts are brave, your arms are strong, and 
God is our defense. 10:40. 

Those who live their religion will enjoy the Spirit, and 
that enjoyment will increase; and if we will be faithful, 
the Lord will make our feet as firm in these valleys as are 
the everlasting riches in these mountains, and no power 
can remove us He will give us a sure place in these 
mountains until we go forth and redeem Zion. Do right, 
be faithful, and make no calculations about removing before 
the tune comes. 8-285. 

Obedience and Free Agency — Here is a brother who 
says, "Why, yes, you may have some of my property or 
even take it all , but I want to be a man for myself j I do 
not want to be dictated ; I want to preserve my own free- 
dom , I do not want to be a slave " What an idea ! It is 
from the enemy, and because a" person has not the Spirit 
of the Lord to see how things are. There is not a man of 



348 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

us but what is willing to acknowledge at once that God 
demands strict obedience to his requirements But in ren- 
dering that strict obedience, are we made slaves? No, at is 
the only way on the face of the earth for you and me to 
become free, and we shall become slaves of our own pas- 
sions, and of the wicked one, and servants to the Devil, if 
we take any other course, and we shall be eventually cast 
into hell with the devils Now to say that I do not enjoy 
the volition of my own will just as much when I pray as I 
would to swear, is a false principle, it is false ground to 
take You take the man who swears, and he has no more 
freedom, and acts no more on his own will than the man 
who prays, the man who yields strict obedience to the re- 
quirements of Heaven, acts upon the volition of his own 
will and exercises his freedom just as much as when he 
was a slave to passion, and I think it is much better and 
more honorable for us, whether children or adults, youthful, 
middle-aged or old, it is better to live by and better to die 
by, to have our hearts pure, and to yield strict obedience 
to the principles of life which the Lord has revealed, than 
be a slave to sin and wickedness. All that the Lord re- 
quires of us is strict obedience to the laws of life A13 the 
sacrifice that the Lord asks of his people is strict obedience 
to our own covenants that we have made with our God, and 
that is to serve him with an undivided heart 18*246 

One of the simplest things in the world is to control a 
people Is there any particular art in making this people 
obedient? There is just one. If you, Elders of Israel, can 
get the art of preaching the Holy Ghost into the hearts of 
the people) you will have an obedient people This is the 
only art required. Teach the people truth, teach them cor- 
rect principles ; show them what is for their greatest good 



OBEDIENCE 349 

and don't you think they will follow in that path? They 
will, just as far as it is consistent with their weaknesses 
and the power of darkness that is over the inhabitants of 
the earth— with us as with others 12 :257. 

A person before he can understand the law and govern- 
ment of God must see and understand the propriety of it 
and see its beauties. So it is with the whole system of sal- 
vation. Not that I would say we are machines, for we 
have our agency ; but God has placed us here, and he exacts 
strict obedience to his laws before we can derive the bene- 
fit and blessings their observance will yield. You may 
take a beautiful machine of any kind you please, and when 
the machinist has finished his work and set it m perfect 
order, how could it be expected to operate satisfactorily if 
a hook here or a journal yonder were to say, I am not going 
to stay here, or, I am going to jump out of place and am 
going somewhere else; and then another piece of the ma- 
chinery would jump out of its place into another part of 
the machine. What would be the state of such a machine? 
Confusion and disorganization would soon result and the 
machinist might very properly say, what a pity that I be- 
stowed so much labor on such unruly members of my 
machine. 13 :241. 

The world will not receive the Gospel, unless they can 
have it on their own terms, and will persecute the few that 
do receive it. 9:331. 

We as a people, will be chastened until we can wholly 
submit ourselves to the Lord and be Saints indeed. 5 :354. 

Effects of Disobedience — When light comes, if the peo- 
ple reject that light, it will condemn them, and will add to 
their sorrow and affliction. 6:288. 

If we live our religion we shall prosper, and if we live 



350 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

in the neglect of our duty, and continue to do so, there will 
be tribulation and anguish here, and the chastening hand 
of the Almighty will be on this people. 3 340. 

I feel m my heart to bless you, it is full of blessings and 
not cursing. It is something that does not occupy my feel- 
ings to curse any individual, but 1 will modify this by say- 
ing those who ought not to be cursed. Who ought to be? 
Those who know their Master's will, and do it not; they 
are worthy of many stripes; it is not those who do not 
know, and do not do, but those who know it, and do not 
do it— they are the ones to be chastised 1 *248 

As soon as you are overcome by the spirit of the world, 
you forget e\ery good deed and kindness that has been 
extended to you, and you only remember the transpiring 
and infliction of what you deemed to be evil that would have 
resulted m good, had you done right 3 358 

It is the misapplied intelligence God has given us that 
makes all the mischief on the earth That intelligence he 
designed to carry out the purposes of his will, and endowed 
it with capabilities to grow, spread abroad, accumulate, and 
endeavor to enjoy greater happiness, glory, and honor, and 
continue to expand wider and wider, until eternity is com- 
prehended by it; if not applied to this purpose, but to the 
grovelling things of earth, it will be taken away, and given 
to one who has made better use of this gift of God 2 .1*24-5. 

If we will only piactice what we profess, I tell you we 
are at the defiance of hell 2:186 

For a man to undertake to live a Saint and walk m dark- 
ness is one of the hardest tasks that he can undertake. You 
cannot imagine a position that will sink a person more 
deeply in perplexity and trouble than to try to be a Saint 
without living as a Saint should— without enjoying the 



OBEDIENCE 351 

spirit of his religion It is our privilege to live so as to 
enjoy the spirit of our religion. That is designed to re- 
store us to the presence of the Gods Gods exist, and we 
had better strive to be prepared to be one with them. 7 .238. 

Anything that is impure must, sooner or later, perish; 
no matter whether it is in the faith and practice of an in- 
dividual, town, nation, or government. That kingdom, 
principality, power or person that is not controlled by prin- 
ciples that are pure and holy must eventually pass away and 
perish. 14 .75. 

I know it is hard to receive chastisement, for no chas- 
tisement is joyous, but grievous at the time it is given ; but 
if a person will receive chastisement and pray for the Holy 
Spirit to rest upon him, that he may have the Spirit of 
truth in his heart, and cleave to that which is pleasing to 
the Lord, the Lord will give him grace to bear the chastise- 
ment, and he will submit to and- receive it, knowing that 
it is for his good. 3:47. 

Men must quit swearing and taking the name of God 
in vain; they must refrain from lying, stealing, cheating, 
and doing that which they know they ought not to do, or 
they must be severed from this Church and Kingdom. 4 :307. 

The Latter-day Saints, in all their travels, have not been 
as rebellious as the Children of Israel were. 11 :279. 



CHAPTER XX 

GRATITUDE, HUMILITY, DEVOTION, 
LIBERALITY, HONESTY 

Gratitude— I do not know of any, excepting the un- 
pardonable sin, that is greater than the sin of ingratitude. 
14:277. 

We rejoice because the Lord is ours, because we are 
sown in weakness for the express purpose of attaining to 
greater power and perfection. In everything the Saints 
may rejoice — in persecution, because it is necessary to 
purge them, and prepare the wicked for their doom; in 
sickness and in pain, though they are hard to bear, because 
we are thereby made acquainted with pain, with sorrow, 
and with every affliction that mortals can endure, for by 
contrast all things are demonstrated to our senses. We 
have reason to rejoice exceedingly that faith is in the world, 
that the Lord reigns, and does his pleasure among the 
inhabitants of the earth. Do you ask if I rejoice because 
the Devil has* the advantage over the inhabitants of the 
earth, and has afflicted mankind? I most assuredly an- 
swer in the affirmative ; I rejoice in this as much as in any- 
thing else. I rejoice because I am afflicted. I rejoice be- 
cause I am poor. I rejoice because I am cast down. Why? 
Because I shall be lifted up again. I rejoice that I am poor 
because I shall be made rich; that I am afflicted, because 
I shall be comforted, and prepared to enjoy the felicity of 
perfect happiness, for it is impossible to properly appre- 
ciate happiness except by enduring the opposite. 1 :359. 

Humility— I delight extremely in plain simplicity. 4:341. 



GRATITUDE, HUMILITY, LIBERALITY, HONESTY 353 

The humble will live, their spirits will be buoyant, 
and they will live to a great age. 8:181. 

We have to humble ourselves and become like little chil- 
dren in our feelings— to become humble and childlike in 
spirit, in order to receive the first illuminations of the spirit 
of the Gospel, then we have the privilege of growing, of 
increasing in knowledge, in wisdom, and in understand- 
ing. 3:192. 

The hearts of the meek and humble are full of joy and 
comfort continually. 4 :22. 

When a person sees things as they are, flattery and re- 
proach are all the same to him, he sees no difference. If 
he finds that he is pleasing God and his brethren, he is 
exceedingly rejoiced, and feels an increase of humility and 
resignation. When a man is proud and arrogant, flattery 
fills him with vanity and injures him; but it is not so when 
he is increasing in the faith of God. 12:50. 

I exhort the brethren not to boast over our enemies' 
downfall. Boast not, brethren. God has come out of his 
hiding-place, and has commenced to vex the nations that 
have rejected us, and he will vex them with a sore vexation. 
8:324. 

Devotion to the Gospel— To the Latter-day Saints I 
say, live your religion, sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, 
live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God, 
and we shall be prospered, 13 :318. 

A man, or a woman, desiring to know the will of God, 
and having an opportunity to know it, will apply their 
hearts to this wisdom until it becomes easy and familiar to 
them, and they will love to do good instead of evil. 3 :363. 

To enjoy the protection of the Almighty, we have got 



354 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

to live our religion—to live so that we have the mind of 
Christ within us. 4*358 

All I ask of you is to apply your hearts to the Gospel 
of Jesus Christ and be Saints I will not ask anything else 
on this earth of you, only to live so as to know the mind 
and will of God when you receive it, and then abide in it 
If you will do that, you will be prepared to do a great 
many things, and you will find that there is much good to 
be done, 3 .375. 

When you know how to be a Saint today, you are in a 
fair way to know how to be a Saint tomorrow. And if you 
can continue to be a Saint today, you can through the week, 
and through the year, and you can fill up your whole life in 
performing the duty and labor of a Saint. 2 .53. 

If I am organized and capacitated to receive this glory 
and this exaltation, I must be the friend of him who has 
brought me forth and instituted this exaltation for me; I 
must not be his enemy at any time. 4 198. 

I have sought to teach you how to get rich, but I never 
taught you to neglect your duty ; I never instructed you nor 
taught you to forsake the Lord ; and today I would rather 
not own one farthing, and take my valise in my hand, as 
I did at the rise of the Church, and travel among the na- 
tions of the earth, and 'beg my bread from door to door, 
than to neglect my duty and lose the Spirit of Almighty 
God, If I have wealth and cannot use it to the glory of 
God and the building up of his Kingdom, I ask the Lord 
to take it from me 13 :280. 

There is not a wicked man on the face of the earth but 
what reveres a pure servant of God. They may not ac- 
knowledge it with their organs of speech, but in their 
hearts, sentiments and feelings they revere such a char- 



GRATITUDE, HUMILITY, LIBERALITY, HONESTY 355 

acter. When they see a pure and holy man or woman, 
say they, "I wish I was as good as you are." Then let us 
take a pride in acknowledging our religion and living it, 
by being virtuous, true and good in everything, and then 
take pride in educating your minds until you can conquer 
and control yourselves in everything. Educate your chil- 
dren in all the knowledge the world can give them. God 
has given it to the world, it is all his. Every true prin- 
ciple, every true science, every art, and all the knowledge 
that men possess, or that they ever did or ever will possess, 
is from God. We should take pains and pride to instill this 
knowledge into the minds of our neighbors, and our breth- 
ren, and rear our children so that the learning and educa- 
tion of the world may be theirs, and that virtue, truth and 
holiness may crown their lives that they may be saved in 
the Kingdom of God. 12:326. 

I say to this community, Be humble, be faithful to your 
God, true to his Church, benevolent to the strangers that 
may pass through our Territory, and kind to all people, 
serving the Lord with all your might, trusting in him ; but 
never fear the frowns of an enemy, nor be moved by the 
flatteries of friends or of enemies from the path of right. 
Serve your God ; believe in him, and never be ashamed of 
him, and sustain your character before him. 

I say to the aged, to the middle-aged, and to the young — 
All be true to your God, true to your brethren, and kind to 
all, serving God with all your heart. And may he bless 
you for Jesus' sake. Amen. 1 :146. 

While speaking the other day to the people, I observed 
that "the race was not to the swift, nor the battle to the 
strong," neither riches to men of wisdom, I happened to 
cast my eyes upon Ira Ames, who was sitting in the con- 



356 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

gregation I knew he had been in the Church a consider- 
able length of time, I have been personally acquainted with 
him for twenty years My eye also caught many more of 
the first Saints at the same time. These men know that 
"Mormonism" is true, they have moved steadily forward, 
and have not sought to become noted characters as many 
have, but, unseen as it were, they have maintained their 
footing steadily in the right path I could place my hand 
upon many in this congregation, who will win the race, 
though they are not very swift, to outward appearance, and 
they make no great pretensions , they are found continually 
attending to their own business. They do not appear to be 
great warriors, or as if they were likely to win the battle 
But what is their true character ? They have faith today, 
they are filled with faith, their words are few, but they are 
full of integrity You will find them tomorrow as they were 
yesterday, or are today. Visit them when you will, or 
under what circumstances, and you find them unalterably 
the same; and finally when you have spent your life with 
them, you will find that their lives throughout have been 
well spent, full of faith, hope, charity, and good works, as 
far as they have had the ability. These are the ones who 
will win the race, conquer in the battle, and obtain the 
peace and righteousness of eternity. 1 :89. 

You may examine from the beginning to this day, and 
continue to watch m the future, and where you find a man 
who wishes to steady the ark of God, without being called 
to do so, you will find a dark spot in him. The man full 
of light and intelligence discerns that God steadies his own 
ark, dictates his own affairs, guides his people, controls his 
kingdom, governs nations, and holds the hearts of all liv- 
ing in his hands, and turns them hither and thither at his 



GRATITUDE, HUMILITY, LIBERALITY, HONESTY 357 

pleasure, not infringing" upon their agency There is not 
the least danger of disagreeing with persons enjoying the 
Holy Spirit. 8-66 

To be great is to be good before the Heavens and before 
all good men 10.111. 

Give Freely — Let us not love the things of this world 
above the things of God, but strip for the race and harness 
for the battle of the Gospel plan of salvation, 10 328 

How contracted m mind and short-sighted we must be 
to permit the perishable things of this world to swerve us 
in the least degree from our fidelity to the truth. It shows 
that we lack knowledge which we should possess. 11 283. 

Suppose that you are required to do ten pieces of work, 
but of the ten only one is necessary for the promotion of 
the Kingdom of God , which had you better do — perform 
the ten pieces of labor, to be sure of doing the right piece, 
or neglect the whole ten because you do not know which 
the right one is ? Had you not better do the whole ten 
pieces, that you may be sure of performing that which the 
Lord really requires at your hands? 8*12-13. 

I wish you to understand, however, that a man giving 
his means to build up the Kingdom of God is no proof to 
me that he is true in heart. I have long since learned, that 
a person may give a gift with an impure design. 10 268. 

Man may think, and some of them do, that we have a 
right to work for ourselves ; but I say we have no time to 
do that in the narrow, selfish sense generally entertained 
when speaking about working for self. We have no time 
allotted to us here on the earth to work for ourselves in 
that sense; and yet when laboring in the most disinterested 
and fervent manner for the cause and Kingdom of God, it 
is all for ourselves. Though our time be entirely occupied 



358 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

in laboring for the advancement of the Kingdom of God 
on the earth we are in reality laboring most effectually for 
self, for all our interest and welfare, both in time and eter- 
nity, are circumscribed and bound up in that Kingdom 
14:101. 

Be Honest— Woe to those who profess to be Saints and 
are not honest Only be honest with yourselves, and you 
will be honest to the brethren. 2.53. 

Men must be honest, they must live faithfully before 
their God, and honor their calling and being on the earth 
You ask if that is possible 7 Yes; the doctrine which we 
have embraced takes away the stony hearts. 3:118-119. 

We need to learn, practice, study, know and undei stand 
how angels live with each other. When this community 
comes to the point to be perfectly honest and upright, you 
will never find a poor person , none will lack, all will have 
sufficient Every man, woman, and child will have all they 
need just as soon as they all become honest When the 
majority of the community are dishonest, it maketh the 
honest portion poor, for the dishonest serve and enrich 
themselves at their expense. 6 :76. 

It is much better to be honest ; to live here uprightly, 
and forsake and shun evil, than it is to be dishonest It 
is the easiest path in the world to be honest,— to be upright 
before God , and when people learn this, they will practice 
it. 5 295. 

Honest hearts produce honest actions— holy desires pro- 
duce corresponding outward works - 

Fulfil your contracts and sacredly keep your word 
10.97. 

I have no fellowship for a man that will make a promise 
and not fulfil it. 13:301. 



GRATITUDE, HUMILITY, LIBERALITY, HONESTY 359 

Simple truth, simplicity, honesty, uprightness, justice, 
mercy, love, kindness, do good to all and evil to none, how 
easy it is to live by such principles! A thousand times 
easier than to practice deception ! 14 76 

Honesty in Labor — I have tried to suppress dishonesty 
m individuals, and have tried thereby to make them honest. 
If I hire a carpenter and pay him three dollars a day, and 
he is three days in making a six-panel door that a good 
workman can make in one, or even a door and a half, I do 
not want to pay him three dollars a day for that labor. 
6:73. 

We want the Samts to increase m goodness, until our 
mechanics, for instance, are so honest and reliable that this 
Railroad Company will say, "Give us a 'Mormon' Elder for 
an engineer, then none need have the least fear to ride, for 
if he knows there is danger he will take every measure nec- 
essary to preserve the lives of those entrusted to his care " 
I want to see our Elders so full of integrity that they will 
be preferred by this Company for their engine builders, 
watchmen, engineers, clerks, and business managers. If 
we live our religion and are worthy the name of Latter- 
day Saints, we are just the men that all such business can 
be entrusted to with perfect safety; if it can not it will 
prove that we do not live our religion 12 "300. 

If you see honest persons, you see those who are ready 
to take hold and labor with their might, even though they 
have but one potato in a day ; they will suffer rather than 
impoverish the Church. 3 :340. 

One liar is like a bad king. A corrupt and wicked king 
can corrupt a whole nation One liar can deceive thou- 
sands 16 '30 

A very simple person can tell the truth, but it takes a 



360 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

very smart person to tell a lie and make it appear like the 
truth. 1130*. 

Consistency and Sincerity — 0, consistency, thou art one 
of the fairest jewels in the life of a Saint 11 .136. 

If we teach righteousness, let us also practice righteous- 
ness in every sense of the word; if we teach morality, let 
us be moral, let us see to it that we preserve ourselves 
within the bounds of all the good which we teach to others. 

I am sure this course will be good to live by and good to 
die by, and when we get through the journey of life, here, 
what a consolation it will be to us to know that we have 
done as we ha\ e wished others to do by us in all respects 

II 130 

There is not one man in this city, nor in the Territory, 
who hates the truth and the Latter-day Samts, whose influ- 
ence I dread, no, not even the hundreth part, as I do a 
smooth, slick hypocrite who professes to be a Latter-day 
Saint. The former cannot sow the seeds of infidelity and 
unbelief m the hearts of the people; but the latter can. 
18-359. 

A person who is a thief, a liar, and a murderer in his 
heart, but professes to be a Saint, is more odious in the 
sight of God, angels and good men, than a person who 
comes out and openly declares that he is our enemy. I 
know how to take such a man, but a devil with a Saint's 
cloak on is one of the meanest characters you can imagine. 
I say, blessings on the head of a wicked Gentile who is my 
avowed enemy, far sooner than upon an enemy cloaked 
with a Saint's profession. 3 .120. 

But I hope and trust in the Lord my God that I shall 
never be left to praise this people, to speak well of them, 
for the purpose of cheering and comforting them by the art 



GRATITUDE, HUMILITY, LIBERALITY, HONESTY 361 

of flattery; to lead them on by smooth speeches day after 
day, week after week, month after month, and year after 
year, and let them roll sin as a sweet morsel under their 
tongues, and be guilty of transgressing the law of God. 
I hope I shall never be left to flatter this people, or any 
people, on the earth, in their iniquity, but far rather chasten 
them for their wickedness and praise them for their good- 
ness. 4.22. 

The religion that we have embraced must last a man 
from Monday morning until Monday morning, and from 
Saturday night until Saturday night, and from one new 
year until another; it must be in all our thoughts and 
words, in all our ways and dealings. We come here to 
te.ll the people how to be saved; we know how, conse- 
quently we can tell others Suppose our calling tomorrow 
is to conduct a railroad, to go into some philosophical busi- 
ness, or no matter what, our minds, our faith or religion, 
our God and his Spirit are with us; and if we should 
happen to be found in a room dedicated for purposes of 
amusement and an accident should occur, and an Elder 
engaged in the dance is called upon to go and lay hands 
on .the sick, if he is not prepared to exercise his calling and 
his faith in God as much there as at any other time and in 
any other place, he never should be found there, for none 
have a legal right to the amusements which the Lord has 
ordained for his children except those who acknowledge 
his hand m all things and keep his commandments. 14.117. 



CHAPTER XXI 
HAPPINESS AND SOCIAL ENJOYMENTS 

Saints Should be Happy — Then learn to be happy when 
you have the privilege. 5 294. 

The whole world are after happiness. It is not found in 
gold and silver, but it is in peace and love. 12:314. 

What will give a man joy? That which will give him 
peace. 7 :3. 

If the heart is cheerful, all is light and glory within; 
there is no sorrow. 6:41. 

When man is industrious and righteous, then is he 
happy. 9:244. 

The person who enjoys the experience of the knowl- 
edge of the Kingdom of God on the earth, and at the same 
time has the love of God within him, is the happiest of any 
individuals on the earth. 18:236. 

What principal object have human beings in view? 
Happiness. Give me glory, give me power, give me wealth, 
give me a good name, give me influence with my fellow- 
men, give me all these, and it does not follow that I am 
thereby made happy; that depends altogether upon what 
principle those acquisitions were gained. 7:3. 

The only heaven for you is that which you make your- 
selves. My heaven is here — (laying his hand upon his 
heart). I carry it with me. When do I expect it in its 
perfection? When I come up in the resurrection; then I 
shall have it, and not till then. 4 :57. 

You never saw a true Saint in the world that had sorrow, 
neither can you find one. If persons are destitute of the 
fountain of living water, or the principles of eternal life, 



HAPPINESS AND SOCIAL ENJOYMENT 363 

then they are sorrowful. If the words of life dwell within 
us, and we have the hope of eternal life and glory, and let 
that spark within us kindle to a flame, to the consuming of 
the least and last remains of selfishness, we never can walk 
in darkness and are strangers to doubt and fear. 6.41. 

If this is the work of God, let us understand its beauty 
and glory. I do not say thai; all are like myself , but from 
the day 1 commenced preaching the Gospel to this present 
moment, I never had a feeling in my heart to occupy much 
time in preaching hell to the people, or in telling them much 
about being damned. There are the kingdoms and worlds 
which God has prepared, and which are waiting for the 
just. There are more beauty, glory, excellency, knowledge, 
power, and heavenly things than I have time to talk about, 
without spending my time in talking about the hells pre- 
pared for the damned I have not time to talk much about 
them 842. 

It does make the Devil mad. That is true, it makes him 
mad that he cannot afflict this people so as to make them 
have a sad countenance. 4.299. 

To make ourselves happy is incorporated in the great 
design of man's existence. I have learned not to fret my- 
self about that which I cannot help If I can do good, I 
will do it ; and if I cannot reach a thing, I will content my- 
self to be without it This makes me happy all the day 
long. 2.95 

Where is happiness, real happiness ? Nowhere but in 
God By possessing the spirit of our holy religion, we are 
happy m the morning, we are happy at noon, we are happy 
in the evening; for the spirit of love and union is with us, 
and we rejoice in the spirit because, it is of God, and we 
rejoice in God, for he is the giver of every good thing Every 



364 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

Latter-day Saint, who has experienced the love of God in 
his heart, after having 1 received the remission of his sins, 
through baptism, and the laying on of hands, realizes that 
he is filled with joy, and happiness, and consolation. He 
may be in pain, m error, in poverty, or in prison, if neces- 
sity demands, still, he is joyful This is our experience, 
and each and every Latter-day Saint can bear witness to it 
18-213. 

Truly happy is that man or woman, or that people, who 
enjoys the privileges of the Gospel of the Son of God, and 
who know how to appreciate his blessings 1 309 

Men and women, for slight causes, make shipwreck of 
faith, lose the spirit of the Gospel, losing the object for 
which they left their homes and their friends We are all 
searching for happiness; we hope for it, we think we live 
for it, it is our aim in this life. But do we live so as to 
enjoy the happiness we so much desire? There is only 
one way for Latter-day Saints to be happy, which is simply 
to live their religion, or in other words believe the Gospel 
of Jesus Christ in every part, obeying the gospel of lib- 
erty with full purpose of heart, which sets us free indeed. 
If we will, as a community, obey the law of God, and com- 
ply with the ordinances of salvation, then we may expect 
to find the happiness we so much desire, but if we do not 
pursue this course we cannot enjoy the unalloyed happiness 
which is to be found in the Gospel To profess to be a 
Saint, and not enjoy the spirit of it, tries every fibre of the 
heart, and is one of the most painful experiences that man 
can suffer. 12 168. 

Social Amusements — There is no true enjoyment in life 
—nothing that can be a blessing to an individual or to a 



HAPPINESS AND SOCIAL ENJOYMENT 365 

community, but what is ordained of God to bless his people. 
6 143 

We want to see every countenance full of cheerfulness, 
and every eye bright with the hope of future happiness 
12 314 

We are made to enjoy all that God enjoys, to inherit all 
he inherits, to possess all the power that he possesses, all 
the excellency with which he is endowed — all things are to 
be brought into subjection to him by his faithful children, 
that they may enjoy all things with him; these considera- 
tions bring peace to the heart that is opened to under- 
standing. 10:171. 

A gathering and social spirit seems to be the order of 
heaven — of the spirit that is in the Gospel we have em 
braced. Though it may be esteemed as a fault — as an un- 
warrantable act to separate ourselves from those who do 
not believe as we believe, yet such is the nature of a por 
tion of our religion pertaining to the performance of out- 
ward duties. If the Latter-day Saints can associate to- 
gether, free from the contaminating influences that are in 
the world, it is a blessing and a great privilege. What 
would induce a child to grow up in the wickedness of the 
wicked world, if it never saw or heard any of it ? 7 267. 

Is there anything immoral in recreation? If I see my 
sons and daughters enjoying themselves, chatting, visiting, 
riding, going to a party or a dance, is there anything im- 
moral in that? I watch very closely, and if I hear a word, 
see a look, or a sneer at divine things or anything deroga- 
tory to a good moral character, I feel it in a moment, and 
I say, "If you follow that it will not lead to good, it is evil ; 
it will not lead to the fountain of life and intelligence ; fol- 
low, only, the path that leads to life everlasting.*' 



36S DISCOURSES OF BKIGHAM YOUNG 

It is the privilege of the Saints to enjoy every good 
thing, for the earth and its fulness belong to the Lord, and 
he has promised all to his faithful Saints; but it must be 
enjoyed without spirit of covetousness and selfishness— 
without the spirit of lust, and m the spirit of the Gospel , 
then the sun will shine sweetly upon us , each day will be 
filled with delight, and all things will be filled with beauty, 
giving joy, pleasure, and rest to the Saints 8 82. 

We are to learn how to enjoy the things of life— how to 
pass our mortal existence here There is no enjoyment, no 
comfort, no pleasure, nothing that the human heart can 
imagine, with all the spirit of revelation we can get, that 
tends to beautify, happily, make comfortable and peace- 
ful, and exalt the feelings of mortals, but what the Lord 
has in store for his people. He never objected to their tak- 
ing comfort He never repealed any doctnne, that I have 
any knowledge of, but what m its nature is calculated to 
fill with peace and glory, and lift every sentiment and im- 
pulse of the heart above every low, sad, deathly, false and 
grovelling feeling The Lord wishes us to live that we 
may enjoy the fulness of the glory that pertains to the 
upper world, and bid farewell to all that gloomy, dark, 
deathly feeling that is spread over the inhabitants of the 
earth. 8 128-129. 

Our organism makes us capable of exquisite enjoy- 
ment Do I not love my wife, my son, my daughter, my 
brother, my sister, my father, and my mother? And do I 
not love to associate with my friends? I do, and love to 
reflect and talk on eternal principles. 7 138 

We say to the Bishops and to everybody, exercise your- 
selves, provide innocent amusement for the youth, attract 
the minds of the children, and get the upper hand of them 



HAPPINESS AND SOCIAL ENJOYMENT 367 

and be on the lead I see mothers right among us whose 
course is very imprudent with their children You ought 
always to take the lead of your children in their minds and 
affections Instead of being behind with the whip, always 
be m advance, then you can say, "Come along," and you 
will have no use for the rod They will delight to follow 
you, and will like your words and ways, because you are 
always comforting them and giving them pleasure and 
enjoyment If they get a little naughty, stop them when 
they have gone far enough. We say to the brethren, humor 
your wives and children as far as you can, but when they 
transgress, and transcend certain bounds we want them to 
stop. If you are in the lead they will stop, they cannot 
run over you, but if you are behind they will run away 
from you. Husbands, always be m advance of your wives, 
and then if they undertake to do something that is very 
displeasing to you they will run right against you, and then 
stop and sit down because they can't go any further. Do 
you know how to do this ? "No," says one, "I don't know 
that I do." Well, then, learn by searching after truth, 
according to the revelations given in this book. Search 
after truth in all good books, and learn the wisdom of the 
world and the wisdom of God, and put them together and 
you will be able to benefit yourselves. 12 313. 

Our work, our every-day labor, our whole lives are 
within the scope of our religion. This is what we believe 
and what we try to piactice. Yet the Lord permits a great 
many things that he never commands. I have frequently 
heard my old brethren in the Christian world make remarks 
about the impropriety of indulging in pastimes and amuse- 
ments. The Lord never commanded me to dance, yet I 
have danced : you all know it, for my life is before the world. 



368 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

Yet while the Lord has ne\er commanded me to do it, he 
has permitted it. I do not know that he ever commanded 
the boys to go and play at ball, yet he permits it. I am not 
aware that he e\ er commanded us to build a theater, but he 
has permitted it, and I can give the reason why Recrea- 
tion and diversion are as necessary to our well-being as the 
more serious pursuits of life There is not a man in the 
world but what, if kept at any one branch of business or 
study, will become like a machine Our pursuits should be 
so diversified as to develop every trait of character and 
diversity of talent If you would develop every power and 
faculty possessed by your children, they must have the 
privilege of engaging in and enjoying a diversity of amuse- 
ments and studies, to attain great excellence, however, they 
cannot all be kept to any one individual branch of study. 
I recollect once while m England, in the district of coun- 
try called the "Potteries/' seeing a man pass along the 
street, his head, perhaps, within sixteen or eighteen inches 
of the ground I inquired what occupation he had followed 
for a living, and learned that he had never done anything 
in his life but turned a tea cup, and he was then seventy- 
four years of age How do we know but what, ff he had 
had the privilege, he would have made a statesman or a fine 
physician, an excellent mechanic or a good judge ? We 
cannot tell. This shows the necessity of the mind being 
kept active and having the opportunity of indulging in ev- 
ery exercise it can enjoy in order to attain to a full develop- 
ment of its powers. 13 :61. 

Little boys play with their wagons, tops, marbles, etc. , 
little girls with their dolls, cradles, and skipping ropes 
They are in the height of their enjoyment, while there sits 
the mother whose mind comprehends all the children can 



HAPPINESS AND SOCIAL ENJOYMENT 369 

enjoy, and then she can see enjoyment far beyond what 
they are then capable of enjojmg Perhaps her vision is 
open to see foiward into the eternity before her, and that 
she will be able to preserve her identity in her future exist- 
ence Do you not see how easy it is for her to circum- 
scribe all those little children can enjoy? Her feeling is, 
"I am delighted* it is a great satisfaction to see my chil- 
dren enjoy themselves " But how would she like to en- 
gage in their plays ? "It is my joy to see them enjoy them- 
selves " Do you like to get together in your parties? How 
are you looked upon by beings in the eternal worlds ? Pre- 
cisely as a mother looks upon her children when they are 
enjoying themselves and passing their time so kindly with 
each other Says the mother, "I do delight in seeing my 
children enjoy themselves." I also delight in enjoying 
myself with the brethren and sisters, and giving to my 
natural organization the food that the natural body re- 
quires The body requires food, and the immortal spirit 
requires food; the whole organization requires something 
to feast upon, and we get up amusements to satisfy it. 
8 358-9. 

I repeat that it is not your lawful privilege to yield to 
anything in the shape of amusement, until you have per- 
formed every duty, and obtained the power of God to enable 
you to withstand and resist all foul spirits that might 
attack you, and lead you astray , until you have command 
over them, and by j our faith, obtained, through prayer and 
supplication, the blessings of the Holy Spirit, and it rests 
upon, and abides continually with you. 1 :113. 

In all your social communications, or whatever your 
associations are, let all the dark, discontented, murmuring, 
unhappy, miserable feelings— all the evil fruit of the mind, 



370 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

fall from the tree in silence and unnoticed; and so let it 
perish, without taking it up to present to your neighbors. 
But when you have joy and happiness, light and intelli- 
gence, truth and virtue, offer that fruit abundantly to your 
neighbors, and it will do them good, and so strengthen the 
hands of your fellow-beings, even though you may be 
looked upon as an outcast, vile people, not worthy of the 
society of what are commonly deemed the intelligent por- 
tion of the world 7-269 

I have frequently told the people at our places of recre- 
ation, if they cannot go there with the Spirit of the Lord, 
they had better stay at home 11 "283 

On every such occasion, it is right, reasonable, and nec- 
essary, that every heart be directed to the Lord. When 
we have had sufficient recreation for our good, let that 
suffice It is all right; then let our minds labor instead of 
our bodies ; and in all our exercises of body and mind, it is 
good to remember the Lord. 1 :30. 

I am most perfectly satisfied to associate with those 
whose hearts are filled with peace, with praise and adora- 
tion to our God, and whose lives are full of good works. 
Their voices to me are like sweet music I have not the 
least desire to mingle with or look upon the faces of those 
who hate God and his cause 8 :57. 

We are now enjoying our pastimes We often meet 
together and worship the Lord by singing, praying, and 
preaching, fasting, and communing with each other in the 
Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. Now we are met m the 
capacity of a social community— for what? That our minds 
may rest, and our bodies receive that recreation which is 
proper and necessary to keep up an equilibrium, to pro- 
mote healthy action to the whole system. 



HAPPINESS AND SOCIAL ENJOYMENT 371 

Let our minds sing for joy, and let life diffuse itself 
into every avenue of the body , for the object of our meeting 
is for its exercise, for its good. 

This party was gotten up by the members of the Legis- 
lature, to rest their minds, to convene in a social capacity, 
and enjoy the society of each other, with their families, and 
to give renewed activity and energy, which will invigorate 
and strengthen them in the discharge of the arduous duties 
devolving upon them 1 29. 

Our present situation, and the enjoyments of this eve- 
ning, will become subjects of pleasant and agreeable re- 
flection, when we shall be separated from this community, 
and go to the right and to the left, then these moments of 
festive joy will be remembered with pleasing emotions, and 
cherished in fond memory in after years. 1 :30. 

Is there any harm in Sunday school parties ? No' It 
is one of the*most harmless kinds of enjoyment when con- 
ducted aright If they wish to dance, let them dance ; let 
them talk and play; but not do any wrong They must 
not get angry with each other ; and if any do wrong instruct 
them to do right If our children are thus taught, they will 
be patterns of piety and their conduct will be worthy of 
imitation 12 .239. 

One of the most useful amusements we could have 
would be for the Seventies and High Priests to meet here, 
instead of in their small halls, and lecture. Which is the 
most delightful, to satisfy the wants of the natural body, 
or those of the intelligent part within us? Which is the 
most precious 7 Both. 8.358. 

My first remarks will be concerning such exercises as 
we have seen here this morning The Latter-day Saints 
have many pastimes, and they enjoy themselves in social 



372 DISCOUESES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

society with one another Yet I think, m my reflections, 
that we should have an increase— and we are having 
partially an increase of recreation for our \outh We have 
very few holidays When the 4th of July comes, we have 
our amusements and exercises When the 24th of July 
comes, we hail it as the anniversary of a day of deliverance. 
On reflection, I have come to the conclusion that it would 
be better if we would pay more attention to these public 
exercises, and direct the minds of our children by observ- 
ing them, taking a course to have them avoid getting into 
the habit of drinking and every kind of rowdyism, and 
other things that are unbecoming, and in all of our amuse- 
ments have objects of improvement that are worthy of 
pursuit We should have more of the children attend Sun- 
day school, and the teachers should continually place ob- 
jects before them that will lead them to study to improve 
in their manners, in their words, in their looks and in their 
behavior, and that will guide their minds aright. You 
will find we can place before them objects that will do them 
much good m their thoughts and reflections, that will im- 
prove their young and tender minds, and have an influence 
upon their future lives for good; and we can thus bring 
them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord by tak- 
ing a course to lead their minds 12 238-9. 

I am satisfied that those persons who stamp, clap hands, 
whistle, and make other noisy and boisterous demonstra- 
tions in the theaters, so untuned and uncalled for, have but 
little sense, and know not the difference between a happy 
smile of satisfaction to cheer the countenance of a friend, 
or a contemptuous sneer that brings the curses of man 
upon man. 9 290. 

Never give way to vain laughter. I have seldom 



HAPPINESS AND SOCIAL ENJOYMENT 373 

laughed aloud for twenty or thirty years without regretting 
it, and I always blush for those who laugh aloud without 
meaning. 9*290. 

Dancing— Those that have kept their covenants and 
served their God, if they wish to exercise themselves in any 
way, to rest their minds and tire their bodies, go and enjoy 
yourselves in the dance, and let God be m all your thoughts 
in this as m all other things, and he will bless you. 6 149 

There are many of our aged brethren and sisters, who, 
through the traditions of their fathers and the requirements 
of a false religion, were never inside a ball-room or a theater 
until they became Latter-day Saints, and now they seem 
more anxious for this kind of amusement than are our chil- 
dren This arises from the fact they have been starved for 
many years for that amusement which is designed to buoy 
up their spirits and make their bodies vigorous and strong, 
and tens of thousands have sunk into untimely graves for 
want of such exercises to the body and the mind. They 
require mutual nourishment to make them sound and 
healthy. Every faculty and power of both body and muid 
is a gift from God. Never say that means used to create 
and continue healthy action of body and mind are from 
hell. 9.244. 

I want it distinctly understood, that fiddling and danc- 
ing are no part of our worship The question may be asked, 
What are they for, then ? I answer, that my body may 
keep pace with my mind. My mmd labors like a man 
logging, all the time; and this is the reason why I am fond 
of these pastimes— they give me a privilege to throw every- 
thing off, and shake myself, that my body may exercise, 
and my mind rest. What for? To get strength, and be 
renewed and quickened, and enlivened, and animated, so 



374 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

that my mind may not wear out. Experience tells us that 
the most of the inhabitants of the earth wear out their bod- 
ies without wearing their minds at all, through the suffer- 
ings they endure from hard labor, with distress, poverty, 
and want While on the other hand, a great portion of 
mankind wear out their bodies without laboring, only in 
anxiety. But when men are brought to labor entirely in 
the field of intelligence, there are few minds to be found 
possessing strength enough to bear all things; the mind 
becomes overcharged, and when this is the case, it begins 
to wear upon the body, which will sink for want of the 
proper exercises. This is the reason why I believe m and 
practice what I do. 1 :30 

There is no music in hell, for all good music belongs 
to heaven. Sweet harmonious sounds give exquisite joy to 
human beings capable of appreciating music I delight in 
hearing harmonious tones made by the human voice, by 
musical instruments, and by both combined. Every sweet 
musical sound that can be made belongs to the Saints and 
is for the Saints Every flower, shrub and tree to beautify, 
and to gratify the taste and smell, and every sensation that 
gives to man joy and felicity are for the Saints who receive 
them from the Most High 9 244 

If you happen to be in a party where I am and wearing 
dresses made with your own hands, I shall take pleasure 
in dancing with you in preference to the lady dressed in 
silks and satins. 9 190 

I am opposed to making a cotillion hall a place of wor- 
ship. 9:194. 

I am opposed to having cotillions or theatrical perform- 
ances m this Tabernacle I am opposed to making this a 
fun hall, I do not mean for wickedness, I mean for the 



-T- "^ ">- - -;~ 



. „ , & ' .. ' 23SSH 




The Old Tabernacle, Salt Lake City 




The Present Tabernacle, Salt Lake City 



HAPPINESS AND SOCIAL ENJOYMENT 375 

recuperation of our spirits and bodies I am not willing 
that they should convert the house that has been set apart 
for religious meetings into a dancing hall 9:195. 

Those who cannot serve God with a pure heart in the 
dance should not dance 6 148 

If you want to dance, run a foot race, pitch quoits, or 
play at ball, do it, and exercise your bodies, and let your 
minds rest 6:149. 

If you wish to dance, dance ; and you are just as much 
prepared for a prayer meeting after dancing as ever you 
were, if you are Saints. If you desire to ask God for any- 
thing, you are as well prepared to do so in the dance as in 
any other place, if you are Saints Are your eyes open to 
know that everything m the earth, in hell, or in heaven, is 
ordamed for the use of intelligent beings ? 6 '148 

The Theater — Is there evil in the theater, in the ball 
room, in the place of worship; in the dwelling, in the 
world? Yes, when men are inclined to do evil in any of 
these places. There is evil in persons meeting simply for 
a chit chat, if they will allow themselves to commit evil 
while thus engaged. 9 "243. 

I built that theater to attract the young of our com- 
munity and to provide amusement for the boys and girls, 
rather than have them running all over creation for recre- 
ation. Long before that was built I said to the Bishops, 
"Get up your parties and pleasure grounds to amuse the 
people." 12 312-313. 

Upon the stage of a theater can be represented in char- 
acter, evil and its consequences, good and its happy results 
and rewards ; the weakness and the follies of man, the mag- 
nanimity of virtue and the greatness of truth. The stage 
can be made to aid the pulpit in impressing upon the minds 



376 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

of a community an enlightened sense of a virtuous life, also 
a proper horror of the enormity of stn and a just dread 
of its consequences. The path of sin with its thorns and 
pitfalls, its gins and snares can be revealed, and how to 
shun it. 9:243 

Tragedy is favored by the outside world, I am not m 
favor of it I do not wish murder and all its horrors and 
the villany leading to it portrayed before our women and 
children; I do not want the child to carry home with it the 
fear of the fagot, the sword, the pistol, or the dagger, and 
suffer in the night from frightful dreams. I want such 
plays performed as will make the spectators feel well ; and 
I wish those who perform to select a class of plays that 
will improve the public mind, and exalt the literary taste 
of the community. 9.245. 

Excursions — If the people should conclude to take short 
excursions with their families, except the smallest children, 
it would be much to their comfort, and would cheer them 
up. 2:283. 

I would be very pleased to learn that your Bishop, 
Brother Miller, was preparing a place for parties; with a 
little pond to float boats on. and other means of enjoyment, 
where the people could assemble to have their exercises 
Get the young minds to follow after you in these things, 
and they will follow after you in every precept that is good: 
And I would like to hear of other Bishops taking steps to 
prepare suitable places for the same purpose. 12 .239. 



CHAPTER XXII 
EDUCATION 

Knowledge and Intelligence — Education is a good thing, 
and blessed is the man who has it, and can use it for the 
dissemination of the Gospel without being puffed up with 
pride. 11:214. 

When we speak upon education, it is not to be under- 
stood that it alone consists in a man's learning the letters 
of the alphabet, in being trained in every branch of schol- 
astic lore, in becoming a proficient in the knowledge of the 
sciences, and a classical scholar, but also in learning to 
classify himself and others. 1 :66. 

Find a true philosopher and you find one who has the 
true principles of Christianity. He delights in them; and 
sees and understands the hand of Providence guiding and 
directing in all the affairs of this life. 14 :82. 

A firm, unchangeable course of righteousness through 
life is what secures to a person true intelligence 8 :32. 

Intelligent beings are organized to become Gods, even 
the Sons of God, to dwell in the presence of the Gods, and 
become associated with the highest intelligences that dwell 
in eternity. We are now in the school, and must practice 
upon what we receive. 8:160. 

When we have faith to understand that he must dictate, 
and that we must be perfectly submissive to him, then we 
shall begin to rapidly collect the intelligence that is be- 
stowed upon the nations, for all this intelligence belongs 
to Zion. All the knowledge, wisdom, power, and glory that 
have been bestowed upon the nations of the earth, from the 



378 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

days of Adam till now, must be gathered home to Zion 
8 278 

This people have embraced the philosophy of eternal 
lives, and m view of this we should cease to be children 
and become philosophers, undei standing our own existence, 
its purpose and intimate design, then our days will not be- 
come a blank through ignorance, but every day will bring 
with it its useful and profitable employment God has 
placed us here, given us the ability we possess, and sup- 
plied the means upon which we can operate to produce so- 
cial, national, and eternal happiness 9 "190. 

When a man is capable of correcting you, and of giving 
you light, and true doctrine, do not get up an altercation, 
but submit to be taught like little children, and strive with 
all your might to understand. 1 47. 

Learning a, b, c, d, does not hindei me learning e, f, g. 
1627. 

A Religion of Improvement— Ours is a religion of im- 
provement; it is not contracted and confined, but is cal- 
culated to expand the minds of the children of men and 
lead them up into the state of intelligence that will be an 
honor to our being. 10:290 

Every art and science known and studied by the chil- 
dren of men is comprised within the Gospel. Where did 
the knowledge come from which has enabled man to ac- 
complish such great achievements in science and mechan- 
ism within the last few years? We know that knoxvledge 
is from God, but why do they not acknowledge him? Be- 
cause they are blind to their own interests, they do not see 
and understand things as they are. Who taught men to 
chain the lightning? Did man unaided of himself discover 
that? No, he received the knowledge from the Supreme 



EDUCATION 379 

Being From him, too, has every art and science proceeded, 
although the credit is given to this individual, and that 
individual But where did they get the knowledge from, 
have they it m and of themselves 3 No, they must ac- 
knowledge that, if they cannot make one spear of grass 
grow, nor one hair white or black without artificial aid, they 
are dependent upon the Supreme Being just the same as the 
poor and the ignorant Where have we received the knowl- 
edge to construct the labor-saving machinery for which the 
present age is remarkable? From Hea\en Where have 
we received our knowledge of astronomy, or the power to 
make glasses to penetrate the immensity of space? We 
received it from the same Being that Moses, and those who 
were before him, received their knowledge from, the same 
Being who told Noah that the world should be drowned 
and its people destroyed From him has every astronomer, 
artist and mechanician that ever lived on the earth obtained 
his knowledge. By him, too, has the power to receive from 
one another, been bestowed, and to search into the deep 
things pertaining to this earth and every principle con- 
nected with it. 12 .257. 

It is highly gratifying to the Lord, to angels, and to all 
good men, to see intelligent beings organized to receive 
a great amount of intelligence—seeking to possess eternal 
life. 8:136. 

The Lord has chosen the poor of this world,— rich in 
faith— and the time will come when he will give the earth 
to his poor for an everlasting inheritance. I speak this for 
the comfort of my brethren and sisters who have been 
poor. They have come here, and what do we see? The 
youth, the middle-aged and the old improving in letters, in 
mechanism and in the arts and sciences We bring them 



380 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHT YOUNG 

here to improve them, and if the Lord will bless us suf- 
ficiently, and the people will bless themselves, we will have 
a nation that understands all things pertaining to the earth 
that it is possible for man to grasp Will this people be 
praiseworthy' Yes, and honored and honorable Will 
they be looked to as examples ? Yes, and it is the duty of 
the Latter-day Samts to live their religion so that all the 
world can say there is a pattern for us, not only in our 
business and worship, but in our knowledge of things that 
are, things that have been and of things that are yet to 
come, until the knowledge of Zion shall reach the utter- 
most parts of the earth, and the kings and great men shall 
say, "Let us go up to Zion and learn wisdom." 12 257. 

The greatest difficulty we have to meet is what may be 
termed ignorance, or want of understanding m the people. 
7 63. 

Not onl) does the religion of Jesus Christ make the peo- 
ple acquainted with the things of God, and develop within 
them moral excellence and purity, but it holds out every 
encouragement and inducement possible, for them to in- 
crease in knowledge and intelligence, in every branch of 
mechanism, or in the arts and sciences, for all wisdom, and 
all the arts and sciences m the ivorld are from God, and are 
designed for the good of his people. 13 147 

Knowledge to be Sought— The religion embraced by the 
Latter-day Saints, if only slightly understood, prompts 
them to search diligently after knowledge There is no 
other people in existence more eager to see, hear, learn, 
and understand truth, 8 6 

Let there be a mutual desire in every man to dissemin- 
ate knowledge, that all may know I have always followed 



EDUCATION 381 

out the rule of dispensing what I know to others, and been 
blessed in so doing 9 370. 

Put forth your ability to learn as fast as you can, and 
gather all the strength of mind and principle of faith you 
possibly can, and then distribute your knowledge to the 
people. 8 :146. 

We, who believe in and have obeyed this Gospel, look 
forward with the anticipation of obtaining a great amount 
of knowledge and wisdom. When we embraced the Gos- 
pel, the spirit opened up to our minds the fact that the 
wisdom, the knowledge and the power of God would in- 
crease in the midst of the Saints This is our experience, 
knowing for myself, what the Spirit of the Lord brings to 
the understanding, testify what it reveals to others. 18 236. 

Let us train our minds until we delight in that which is 
good, lovely and holy, seeking continually after that intelli- 
gence which will enable us effectually to build up Zion, 
which consists in building houses, tabernacles, temples, 
streets, and every convenience and necessity to embellish 
and beautify, seeking to do the will of the Lord all the 
days of our lives, improving our minds in all scientific and 
mechanical knowledge, seeking diligently to understand the 
great design and plan of all created things, that we may 
know what to do with our lives and how to improve upon 
the facilities placed within our reach. 10.177. 

If we wish to be taught, to receive, and understand, we 
must train ourselves. 6 .99. 

We are in a great school, and we should be diligent to 
learn, and continue to store up the knowledge of heaven 
and of earth, and read good books, although I cannot say 
that I would recommend the reading of all books, for it is 
not all books which are good Read good books, and ex- 



382 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

tract from them wisdom and understanding as much as 
you possibly can, aided by the Spirit of God. 12 124 

Every man and woman that has talent and hides it will 
Jbe called a slothful servant Improve day by day upon 
the capital you ha\e In proportion as we are capacitated 
to receive, so it is our duty to do. 7.7. 

It is our duty and calling, as ministers of the same sal- 
vation and Gospel, to gather every item of truth and reject 
every error. Whether a truth be found with professed in- 
fidels, or with the Universalis, or the Church of Rome, or 
the Methodists, the Church of England, the Presbyterians, 
the Baptists, the Quakers, the Shakers, or any other of the 
various and numerous different sects and parties, all of 
whom have more or less truth, it is the business of the 
Elders of this Church (Jesus, their Elder Brother, being at 
their head) to gather up all the truths in the world pertain- 
ing to life and salvation, to the Gospel we preach, to 
mechanism of every kind, to the sciences, and to philos- 
ophy, wherever it may be found in every nation, kindred, 
tongue, and people and bring it to Zion 7 283. 

Continuous Education— This is our labor, our business, 
and our calling— to grow in grace and in knowledge from 
day to day and from year to year 6 :268 

I shall not cease learning while I live, nor when I arrive 
in the spirit-world, but shall there learn with greater facil- 
ity, and when I again receive my body, I shall learn a 
thousand times more in a thousand times less time; and 
then I do not mean to cease learning, but shall still con- 
tinue my researches S'lO. 

We shall never see the time when we shall not need to 
be taught, nor when there will not be an object to be 
gained. I never expect to see the time that there will not 



EDUCATION 383 

be a superior power and a superior knowledge, and, conse- 
quently, incitements to further progress and further im- 
provement 10-221. 

If I do not learn what is in the world, from first to last, 
somebody will be wiser than I am. I intend to know the 
whole of it, both good and bad. Shall I practice evil ? No , 
neither have I told you to practice it, but to learn by the 
light of truth every principle there is in existence in the 
world. 2.94. 

We need constant instruction, and our great heavenly 
Teacher requires of us to be diligent pupils in his school, 
that we may in time reach his glorified presence If we 
will not lay to heart the rules of education which our 
Teacher gives us to study, and continue to advance from 
one branch of learning to another, we never can be schol- 
ars of the first class and become endowed with the science, 
power, excellency, brightness and glory of the heavenly 
hosts; and unless we are educated as they are, we cannot 
associate with them. 10 266. 

And inasmuch as the Lord Almighty has designed us 
to know all that is in the earth, both the good and the evil, 
and to learn not only what is m heaven, hut what is in 
hell, you need not expect ever to get through learning 
Though I mean to learn all that is in heaven, earth, and 
hell. Do I need to commit iniquity to do it? No. If I 
were to go into the bowels of hell to find out what is there, 
that does not make it necessary that I should commit one 
evil, or blaspheme in any way the name of my Maker. 
2 94. 

The extent of knowledge incorporated within the sal- 
vation extended to the children of men, will vastly exceed 
the researches of the human family, and when they have 



384 DISCOURSES OF ERIGHAM YOUNG 

passed the veil, they will then understand that they have 
but just commenced to learn Brother Morley says he 
never expects to be too old to learn ; I believe that doctrine 

Could we live to the age of Methuselah, and eat the 
fruits which the earth would produce in her strength, as 
did Adam and Eve before the transgression, and spend our 
lives in searching after the principles of eternal life, we 
would find, when one eternity had passed to us, that we 
had been but children thus far, babies just commencing to 
learn the things which pertain to the eternities of the Gods, 

We might ask, when shall we cease to learn? I will 
give you my opinion about it: never, never. 3 .202. 

If we continue to learn all that we can, pertaining to 
the sahation which is purchased and presented to us 
through the Son of God, is there a time when a person will 
cease to learn? Yes, when he has sinned against God the 
Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Ghost—God's 
minister; when he has denied the Lord, defied him and 
committed the sin that in the Bible is termed the unpardon- 
able sin— the sin against the Holy Ghost That is the time 
when a person will cease to learn, and from that time forth, 
will descend in ignorance, forgetting that which they 
formerly knew. They will cease to increase, but must 
decrease. These are the only characters who will ever 
cease to learn, both in time and eternity 3:203 

I ask, have the great and learned men completed their 
education ? No. they are ever learning, and never able to 
come to the knowledge of the truth. 1 .70. 

I will not say, as do many, that the more I learn the 
more I am satisfied that I know nothing, for the more I 
learn the more I discern an eternity of knowledge to im- 
prove upon. 



EDUCATION 385 

One scholar in a school may far outstrip the rest; but 
give them sufficient time, and they can learn what the 
quick, bright scholar has learned so easily and quickly. If 
we are capacitated to learn one thing today, we can learn 
another tomorrow. It is the height of folly to say that a 
man can only learn so much and no more The further lit- 
erary men advance m their studies, the more they discern 
there is to learn, and the more anxious they are to learn 

We may live here year after year, and store up knowl- 
edge all the time, and yet not have an opportunity of ex- 
hibiting it to others ; it is on hand ; whenever the time comes 
it should be used. 6 274, 

Experience has taught us that it requires time to acquire 
certain branches of mechanism, also all principles and 
ideas that we wish to become masters of The closer peo- 
ple apply their minds to any correct purpose the faster they 
can grow and increase in the knowledge of the truth. When 
they learn to master their feelings, they can soon learn to 
master their reflections and thoughts in the degree requisite 
for attaining the objects they are seeking. But while they 
yield to a feeling or spirit that distracts their minds from 
a subject they wish to study and learn, so long they will 
never gain the mastery of their minds 6 : 94. 

No matter what your circumstances are, whether you 
are in prosperity or in adversity, you can learn from every 
person, transaction, and circumstance around you. 4:287. 

Effects of Education— The results of the education and 
traditions of the inhabitants of the earth, are interwoven 
with their feelings, and are like a cloak that envelops them, 
in the capacity of societies, neighborhoods, people, or in- 
dividuals; they frame that kind of government and relig- 



386 DISCOURSES OF BKIGHAM YOUNG 

ion, and pursue that course collectively or individually, that 
seemeth good to themselves 3 88. 

Every principle of true philosophy convinces a person 
who understands the spirit of the Gospel and has received 
the good word of life, that the darkness is m proportion 
to the light that has been forsaken. Rear a child in a cell 
which only admits a small glimmer of light, and the child 
will pass its time with some degree of satisfaction, when a 
person accustomed to the bright light of day could not at 
first see anything And the greater the light bestowed 
upon an individual or upon a people, the greater the dark- 
ness when that light is forsaken. 8 121 

Will education feed and clothe you, keep you warm on 
a cold day, or enable you to build a house ? Not at all 
Should we cry down education on this account ? No. What 
is it for? The improvement of the mmd 7 to instruct us in 
all arts and sciences, in the history of the world, m the laws 
of nations ; to enable us to understand the laws and prin- 
ciples of life, and how to be useful while we live. 14 83 

What is the religion of the day ? What are all the civil 
laws and governments of the day? They are merely tra- 
ditions, without a single exception Do the people realize 
this — that it is the force of their education that makes 
right and wrong with them? It is not the line which the 
Lord has drawn out , it is not the law which the Lord has 
given them ; it is not the righteousness which is according 
to the character of him who has created all things, and by 
his own law governs and controls all things; but by the 
prejudice of education — the prepossessed feeling- that is 
begotten m the hearts of the children of men, by surround- 
ing objects 3 M 

If I should hear a man advocate the erroneous pnn- 



EDUCATION 387 

ciples he had imbibed through education, and oppose those 
principles, some might imagine that I was opposed to 
that man, when, in fact, I am only opposed to every evil 
and erroneous principle he advances 6 331 

There is not a law of God, nor a law of any nation that 
exercises so strong an influence upon us as do our tradi- 
tions at times, to bind us to certain customs, habits and 
ceremonies. 8:58. 

Educate our Children — Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, 
obey his doctrine, cease your warring and contention, beat 
your swords into ploughshares and your spears into prun- 
ing hooks; make railroads, build colleges, teach the chil- 
dren, give them the learning of the world and the things 
of God , elevate their minds, that they may not only under- 
stand the earth we walk upon, but the air we breathe, the 
water we drink, and all the elements pertaining to the earth , 
and then search other worlds, and become acquainted with 
the planetary system, the dwellings of the angels and the 
heavenly beings, that they may ultimately be prepared for 
a higher state of being, and finally be associated with them 
I wish we would do it; I pray the Lord to do it, but he will 
not, unless we help him. 14 210, 

The education of our children is worthy of our atten- 
tion, and the instruction of the Elders from this stand It 
is a subject that should be thoroughly impressed upon the 
minds of parents and the rising generation ; and those who 
wish to preach from this text may do so. 13 .262. 

It is a duty we owe to our children to educate and 
train them in every principle of honor and good manners, 
in a knowledge of God and his ways, and in popular school 
education. I am happy to hear the little children sing, and 



388 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

hope they are also learning to read and write, and are pro- 
gressing in every useful branch of learning 11 .111. 

See that your children are properly educated in the rudi- 
ments of their mother tongue, and then let them proceed 
to higher branches of learning; let them become more in- 
formed in every department of true and useful learning 
than their fathers are When they have become well ac- 
quainted with their language, let them study other lan- 
guages, and make themselves fully acquainted with the 
manners, customs, laws, governments and literature of 
other nations, peoples, and tongues. Let them also learn 
all the tiuth pertaining to the arts and sciences, and how 
to apply the same to their temporal wants Let them study 
things that are upon the earth, that are in the earth, and 
that are in the heavens. 8.9. - 

I wish this people to pay particular attention to the 
education of their children. If we can do no more, we 
should gh e them the facilities of a common education, that 
when our sons are sent into the world as ministers of sal- 
vation and as representatives of the Kingdom of God in the 
mountains, they can mingle with the best society and in- 
telligibly and sensibly present the principles of truth to 
mankind, for all truth is the offspring of heaven, and is 
incorporated in the religion which we have embraced. 

Every accomplishment, every polished grace, every use- 
ful attainment m mathematics, music, and in all science and 
art belongs to the Saints, and they should avail themselves 
as expeditiously as possible of the wealth of knowledge the 
sciences offer to every diligent and persevering scholar. 
10 224. 

The education of youth is an important text for the 
brethren to preach from A very high value should be 



EDUCATION 389 

placed upon it by the Saints We have the privilege of 
enjoying the spirit of revelation and the knowledge which 
comes from above, and in addition to this,, every branch of 
education known in the world should be taught among and 
acquired by us 13 '263 

My policy is to keep everybody busy in building up this 
Kingdom , m building houses , in breaking up land ; m set- 
ting out fruit and ornamental trees , in laying out fine gar- 
dens, pleasant walks, and beautiful groves; and in build- 
ing academies and other places of learning 

There are hundreds of young men here who can go to 
school, which is far better than to waste their time Study 
languages, get knowledge and understanding, and while 
doing this, get wisdom from God, and forget it not, and 
learn how to apply it, that you may be good with it all the 
days of your lives, 2 :145. 

Establish Schools — Is it not a blessing to have schools 
in our community, where our teachers can teach our chil- 
dren correct principles, and impart to them education that 
will be useful? 8 92. 

Let a few schools be started by those who are capable 
of teaching the sciences The science of architecture, for 
instance, is worthy the attention of every student It 
yields a gieat amount of real pleasure to be able to under- 
stand the grand architectural designs of those magnificent 
structures that are scattered over Europe and other coun- 
tries. 9.173. 

Go to work and start some schools, go to school and 
study , have the girls go, and teach them chemistry, so that 
they can take any of these rocks and analyze them. The 
sciences can be learned without much difficulty. I want to 
have schools to entertain the minds of the people and draw 



390 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

them out to learn the arts and sciences Send the old chil- 
dren to school, and the young ones also; there is nothing 
I would like better than to learn chemistry, botany, geology, 
and mineralogy, so that I could tell what I walk on, the 
properties of the air I breathe, what I drink, etc. 16:170. 

Let our teachers ask the Father, in the name of Jesus, 
to bestow upon thtm and upon their scholars the Spirit of 
wisdom and intelligence from heaven; ask for skill to 
control and ability to teach on the part of the teacher, and 
willingness to be controlled and adaptability to be taught 
on the part of the scholars Let parents aid the teacher in 
his labors, by seeing that their children attend school punc- 
tually, with a proper supply of books, slates, pencils, etc , 
and permit not a good diligent, faithful school-teacher to 
suffer for the common necessaries of life, while he is labor- 
ing to educate and bless their children 9 '369 

I will now urge it upon the people— the young men and 
middle-aged— to get up schools and study If they are dis- 
posed to study physic or surgery, all right; they will know 
then what to do if a person is sickly, or has his elbow, wrist, 
or shoulder put out of joint, or his arm or any bone broken 
It is just as important to learn such things as it is to learn 
to plant potatoes. Pay more attention to arithmetic and 
other things that are useful, instead of acquiring a little 
French and German and other fanciful studies that are not 
of so much practical importance I do not know how long 
it will be before we call upon the brethren and sisters to 
enter upon business in an entirely different way from what 
they have done. I have been an advocate for our printing 
to be done by females, and as for men being in stores, you 
might as well set them to knitting stockings as to sell tape. 
Such business ought to be done by the sisters. It would 



EDUCATION 391 

enable them to sustain themselves, and would be far better 
than for them to spend their time in the parlor or m walking 
the streets Hardy men have no business behind the coun- 
ter, they who are not able to hoe potatoes, go to the canyon, 
cut down the trees, saw the lumber, etc , can attend to that 
business Study arithmetic and bookkeeping Introduce 
stenography into every school , it is an excellent thing to 
learn. By its means we can commit our thoughts and re- 
flections to paper with ease and rapidity, and thus preserve 
that which will be of benefit to ourselves and others, and 
which would otherwise be forever lost. Introduce every 
kind of useful studies into our schools. Get up classes for 
the study of law The laws of this Territory, of the United 
States, of the different States, of England, and foreign lands 
Do this instead of riding over the prairies hunting and wast- 
ing your time, which is property that belongs to the Lord 
our God, and if we do not make good use of it we shall be 
held accountable 12 31-32. 

Let good schools be established throughout all the set- 
tlements of the Saints in Utah. Let good teachers, who 
are Latter-day Saints in principle and at heart, be em- 
ployed to educate our children. A good school teacher is 
one of the most essential members m society; he relieves 
parents, m part, of a great responsibility and labor; we 
should, therefore, make the business of school teaching a 
permanent institution, and the remuneration should be in 
amount and in kind equal to the receipts of our best me- 
chanics ; it should also be promptly and willingly paid, and 
school commissioners and trustees should see to it that 
teachers are properly qualified and do earn their pay. 
Could I have my wish, I would introduce into our sys- 
tem of education every real improvement. 10*225 



392 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

Understand men and women as they are, and not un- 
derstand them as you are. 8 .37. 

What to Study— It is our privilege and our duty to 
search all things upon the face of the earth, and learn what 
there is for man to enjoy, what God has ordained for the 
benefit and happiness of mankind, and then make use of 
it without sinning against him. 9-243. 

Learn everything that the children of men know, and 
be prepared for the most refined society upon the face of 
the earth, then improve upon this until we are prepared 
and permitted to enter the society of the blessed — the holy 
angels that dwell in the presence of God, for our God, be- 
cause of his purity, is a consuming fire. 16:77. 

We should be a people of profound learning pertaining 
to the things of the world. We should be familiar with the 
various languages, for we wish to send missionaries to the 
different nations and to the islands of the sea. We wish 
missionaries who may go to France to be able to speak the 
French language fluently, and those who may go to Ger- 
many, Italy, Spain, and so on to all nations, to be familiar 
with the languages of those nations 

We also wish them to understand the geography, hab- 
its, customs, and laws of nations and kingdoms, whether 
they be barbarians or civilized. This is recommended in 
the revelations given to us. In them we are taught to 
study the best books, that we may become as well ac- 
quainted with the geography of the world as we are with 
our gardens, and as families with the people — so far at 
least as they are portrayed in print— as we are with our 
families and neighbors 8:40 

How gladly would we understand every principle per- 
taining to science and art, and become thoroughly ac-* 



EDUCATION 393 

quainted with every intricate operation of nature, and with 
all the chemical changes that are constantly going on 
around us* How delightful this would be, and what a 
boundless field of truth and power is open for us to ex- 
plore' We are only just approaching the shores of the 
vast ocean of information that pertains to this physical 
world, to say nothing of that which pertains to the heavens, 
to angels and celestial beings, to the place of their habita- 
tion, to the manner of their life, and their progress to still 
higher degrees of perfection. 9*167. 

Our education should be such as to improve our minds 
and fit us for increased usefulness , to make us of greater 
service to the human family ; to enable us to stop our rude 
methods of living, speaking, and thinking 14 83. 

Learn to be good for something 11 298 

If we could only learn enough to be self-preserving and 
self-sustaining, we should then have learned what the Gods 
have learned before us, and what we must eventually learn 
before we can be exalted 9 169 

Learn all you can Learn how to raise calves, chickens, 
lambs, and all kinds of useful fowls and animals ; learn how 
to till the ground to the best advantage for raising all use- 
ful products of the soil ; and learn how to manufacture mo- 
lasses and sugar from the sugar-cane Raise flax, husbands, 
and let your wives learn to manufacture fine linen. 9 .173 

Let the boys from ten to twenty years of age get up 
schools to learn sword exercise, musket and rifle exercise, 
and, in short, every act of war. Shall we need this knowl- 
edge ? No matter; it is good to be acquainted with this 
kind of exercise. 9.173 

If I could get my own feelings answered I would have 
law in our school books, and have our youth study law at 



394 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

school. Then lead their minds to study the decisions and 
counsels of the just and the wise, and not forever be study- 
ing how to get the advantage of their neighbor. This is 
wisdom. 16 9. 

I have a few things to lay before the Conference, one of 
which is— and I think my brethren will agree with me that 
this is wise and practicable— for from one to five thousand 
of our young and middle-aged men to turn their attention 
to the study of law I would not speak lightly in the least 
of law, we are sustained by it , but what is called the prac- 
tice of law is not always the administration of justice, and 
would not be so considered in many courts 16 9 

Every Elder should have at least one trade, and if pos- 
sible more than one. 10 77 

I am happy to see our children engaged in the study and 
practice of music. Let them be educated in every useful 
branch of learning, for we, as a people, have in the future 
to excel the nations of the earth in religion, science and 
philosophy Great advancement has been made in knowl- 
edge by the learned of this world, still there is yet much 
to learn. The hidden powers of nature which give life, 
growth, and existence to all things have not yet been ap- 
proached by the wisdom of this world. There exists around 
us, in the works of God, an everlasting variety— no two 
leaves, no two blades of grass are alike. Natural philos- 
ophy, so far as known, marks these phenomena of nature, 
and reveals her wonders, but is incapable of revealing the 
modus operandi of the production. 

Let the children in our schools be taught everything 
that is necessary with regard to doctrine and principle, and 
then how to live; and let mothers teach their daughters re- 
garding themselves, and how they should live in their 



EDUCA1 ION 395 

sphere of existence, that they may be good wives and good 
mothers. Let the sisters study economy m the labor and 
management of their homes I am satisfied that more than 
one-half of the labor that is done m our houses can be saved 
by a judicious exercise of thought and good judgment 
Then be wise in these things, and we shall not need tea 
and coffee, or any other stimulant stronger than our nat- 
ural food 12:122-123, 

Study to apply your labor to advantage, and you will 
accomplish much more, without wearing yourselves out so 
fast If you have to roll a log, cut down a tree, etc , study 
how to take advantage of the work. Contrive to accom- 
plish your work with the least expenditure of strength 
8 297. 

I would advise you to read books that are worth read- 
ing, read reliable history, and search wisdom out of the 
best books you can procure. 9.173. 

"Shall I sit down and read the Bible, the Book of Mor- 
mon, and the Book of Covenants all the time ? " says one. 
Yes, if you please, and when you have done, you may be 
nothing but a sectarian after all It is your duty to study to 
know everything upon the face of the earth in addition to 
reading those books We should not only study good, and 
its effects upon our race, but also evil, and its consequences. 
2-93-94 

All men should study to learn the nature of mankind, 
and to discern that divinity inherent in them. A spirit and 
power of research is planted within, yet they remain un- 
developed 7:1. 

Novel reading— is it profitable? I would rather that 
persons read novels than read nothing. 9 *173 

I hope to see the time when we shall have a reforma- 



396 DISCOURSES OF BSIGHAM YOUNG 

tion m the orthography of the English language, among this 
people, for it is greatly needed. Such a reformation would 
be a great benefit, and would make the acquirement of an 
education much easier than at present 12-174 

I long for the time that a point of the finger, or motion 
of the hand, will express every idea without utterance 
When a man is full of the light of eternity, then the eye is 
not the only medium through which he sees, his ear is not 
the only medium by which he hears, nor the brain the only 
means by which he understands When the whole body is 
full of the Holy Ghost, he can see behind him with as much 
ease, without turning his head, as he can see before him 
If you have not that experience, you ought to have It is 
not the optic nerve alone that gives the knowledge of sur- 
rounding objects to the mind, but it is that which God has 
placed in man— a system of intelligence that attracts knowl- 
edge, as light cleaves to light, intelligence to intelligence, 
and truth to truth. It is this which lays in man a proper 
foundation for all education. I shall yet see the time that 
I can converse with this people, and not speak to them, but 
the expression of my countenance will tell the congrega- 
tion what I wish to convey, without opening my mouth. 

Religious Education— We have established a school in 
Salt Lake City for the instruction of the Elders of Israel 
in the doctrines which are contained in the Bible, Book of 
Mormon, and book of Doctrine and Covenants, etc., and 
that is also the place where questions may be asked, an<J 
instructions given touching all doctrines and principles that 
may be entertained by them That is also the place where 
correction may be given and explanations be made upon 
all matters which pertain to the temporal and spiritual lives 



EDUCATION 397 

of the Saints It is about two months since that school 
was established 12 159 

We are starting the School of the Prophets We have 
been in this school all the time The revelations of the 
Lord Jesus Christ to the human family are all the learning 
we can ever possess Much of this knowledge is obtained 
from books, which have been written by men who have 
contemplated deeply on various subjects, and the revelation 
of Jesus have opened their mmds, whether they knew it or 
acknowledged it or not We will start this School of the 
Prophets to increase ra knowledge. 12*116. 

There are a great many branches of education* some 
go to college to learn languages, some to study law, some 
to study physic, and some to study astronomy, and various 
other branches of science. We want every branch of sci- 
ence taught m this place that is taught in the world But 
our favorite study is that branch which particularly belongs 
to the Elders of Israel— namely, theology Every Elder 
should become a profound theologian — should understand 
this branch better than all the world. 6 '317. 

The Christian world is actually coming to the point 
that they will dismiss the Bible from their schools, and by 
and by they will dismiss it from their pulpits and get one 
to suit themselves, they will hew out for themselves cis- 
terns that will hold no water, 13 213. 

Science and Religion — I am not astonished that infidel- 
ity prevails to a great extent among the inhabitants of the 
earth, for the religious teachers of the people advance many 
ideas and notions for truth which are in opposition to and 
contradict facts demonstrated by science, and which are 
generally understood You take, for instance, our geolo- 
gists, and they tell us that this earth has been in existence 



398 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

for thousands and millions of years. They think, and they 
have good reason for their faith, that their researches and 
investigations enable them to demonstrate that this earth 
has been an existence as long as they assert it has; and they 
say, "If the Lord, as religionists declare, made the earth 
out of nothing in six days, six thousand years ago, our 
studies are all vain , but by what we can learn from nature 
and the immutable laws of the Creator as revealed therein, 
we know that your theories are incorrect and consequently 
we must reject your religions as false and vain; we must 
be what you call infidels, with the demonstrated truths of 
science in our possession; or, rejecting those truths, be- 
come enthusiasts m, what you call, Christianity." 

In these respects we differ from the Christian world, for 
our religion will not clash with or contradict the facts of 
science in any particular. You may take geology, for in- 
stance, and it is true science; not that I would say for a 
moment that all the conclusions and deductions of its pro- 
fessors are true, but its leading principles are; they are 
facts— they are eternal ; and to assert that the Lord made 
this earth out of nothing is preposterous and impossible. 
God never made something out of nothing ; it is not in the 
economy or law by which the worlds were, are, or will exist. 
There is an eternity before us, and it is full of matter; and 
if we but understand enough of the Lord and his ways, we 
would say that he took of this matter and organized this 
earth fiom it. How long it has been organized it is not for 
me to say, and I do not care anything about it As for the 
Bible account of the creation we may say that the Lord 
gave it to Moses If we understood the process of 
creation there would be no mystery about it, it would be 
all reasonable and plain, for there is no mystery except to 



EDUCATION 399 

the ignorant This we know by what we have learned 
naturally since we have had a being- on the earth We can 
now take a hymn book and read its contents ; but if we had 
never learned letters and knew nothing about type or paper 
or their uses, and should take up a book and look at it, it 
would be a great mystery; and still more so would it be 
to see a person read line after line, and give expression 
therefrom to the sentiments of himself or others But this 
is no mystery to us now, because we have learned our let- 
ters, and then learned to place those letters into syllables, 
the syllables into words, and the words into sentences 

Fifty or a hundred years ago, if any one had told the 
people of the East Indies that water could be congealed, 
and form ice so thick and hard that you could walk on 
and drive teams over it, they would probably have said, 
"We do not believe a word of it" Why? Because they 
did not know anything about it A proper reply for all 
mankind to make under similar circumstances would be, 
"We do not know anything about what you say, and do 
not know whether we should have faith in it or not. Per- 
haps we should, but we have no evidence at present on 
which to found such a belief." You go down south here 
among some of our native Indian tribes, where some of the 
very best of blankets are made, and you will find them 
twisting their yarn with their fingers and little sticks, and 
their loom attached to the limbs of trees for weaving pur- 
poses. Show them a loom such as white people use, and 
it would be a perfect mystery to them. Sixty or seventy 
years ago a loom worked by water power would have been 
a mystery to an American, but there is no mystery in that 
today, because the process is understood. So it is with the 
East Indians and ice, for the chemist now, by a chemical 



400 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

process, will congeal the water and make ice of it before 
their eyes, and it is in this way, by testimony, evidence, and 
demonstration that ignorance and piejudice are removed, 
faith implanted and knowledge acquired. It is so with re- 
gard to all the facts m existence that we do not understand 
14 115 

There is no ingenious mind that has ever invented any- 
thing beneficial to the human family but what he obtained 
it from the one Source, whether he knows or believes it 
or not There is only one Source whence men obtain 
wisdom, and that is God, the Fountain of all wisdom, and 
though men may claim to make their discoveries by their 
own wisdom, by meditation and reflection, they are in- 
debted to our Father m Heaven for all 13.148 

It has been observed here this morning that we are 
called fanatics. Bless me! That is nothing. Who has not 
been called a fanatic who has discovered anything new in 
philosophy or science? We have all read of Galileo the 
astronomer, who, contrary to the system of astronomy that 
had been received for ages before his day, taught that the 
sun, and not the earth, was the center of our planetary sys- 
tem ? For this the learned astronomer was called "fanatic," 
and subjected to persecution and imprisonment of the most 
rigorous character. So it has been with others who have 
discovered and explained new truths in science and phil- 
osophy which have been in opposition to long-established 
theories, and the opposition they have encountered has 
endured until the truth of their discoveries has been demon- 
strated by time. The term "fanatic" is not applied to pro- 
fessors of religion only How was it with Dr. Morse, when 
shut up m the attic of an old building in Baltimore for more 



EDUCATION 401 

than a year, with a little wire stretched round the room, 
experimenting upon it with his battery, he told a friend that 
by means of that he could sit there and talk to Congress in 
Washington? Was he not considered a fanatic, and wild, 
and crazy ? Certainly he was; and so it was with Robert 
Fulton, when he was conducting his experiments with steam 
and endeavoring to apply it so as to propel a vessel through 
the water And all great discoverers in art, science, or 
mechanism have been denounced as fanatics and crazy ; and 
it has been declared by their contemporaries that they did 
not know what they were saying, and they were thought 
to be almost as wild and incoherent* as the generality of 
the people now think George Francis Train to be. 13 .270. 

How difficult it is to teach the natural man, who com- 
prehends nothing more than that which he sees with the 
natural eye ! How hard it is for him to believe ! How diffi- 
cult would be the task to make the philosopher, who, for 
many years, has argued himself into the belief that his 
spirit is no more after his body sleeps in the grave, believe 
that his intelligence came from eternity, and is as eternal, 
m its nature, as the elements, or as the Gods. Such doc- 
trine by him would be considered vanity and foolishness, 
it would be entirely beyond his comprehension. It is diffi- 
cult, indeed, to remove an opinion or belief into which he 
has argued himself from the mmd of the natural man. Talk 
to him about angels, heavens, God, immortality, and eter- 
nal lives, and it is like sounding brass, or a tinkling cym- 
bal to his ears ; it has no music to him , there is nothing in 
it that charms his senses, soothes his feelings, attracts his 
attention, or engages his affections, in the least, to him it 
is all vanity. 1 :2. 



402 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

True principles will abide, while all false principles will 
fall with those who choose and cleave to them 1 65 

We should seek substantial information, and trust little 
to that kind of so-called learning that is based upon theory. 
We should pluck fruit from the tree of knowledge, and 
taste, then shall our eyes be open to see, our ears to hear 
and our hearts to understand. I would recommend the 
same course to those who have not embraced and tasted 
the sweets of "Moi monism " We should get wisdom by 
reading and by study. We should introduce the best books 
into our schools for the education and improvement of our 
children. Let our school teachers seek constantly to fasten 
upon the young mind useful information, and banish from 
their schools, every study that only tends to perplex the 
student and waste his valuable time. 9 369 

The Body and the Mind— Some think too much, and 
should labor more, others labor too much and should think 
more, and thus maintain an equilibrium between the mental 
and physical members of the individual; then you will en- 
joy health and vigor, will be active, and ready to discern 
truly, and judge quickly. Men who do much thinking, 
philosophers for instance, should apply their bodies to more 
manual labor in order to make their bodies more healthy 
and their minds more vigorous and active. 3 -248. 

Studies in Sunday Schools— We wish in our Sunday and 
day schools, that they who are inclined to any particular 
branch of study may have the privilege to study it. 13 .61 

Wisdom — The person that applies his heart to wisdom, 
and seeks diligently for understanding, will grow to be 
mighty m Israel 3 .363. 

Let wisdom be sown in your hearts, and let it bring 
forth a bountiful harvest It is more profitable to you than 



EDUCATION 403 

all the gold and silver and other riches of earth. Let wis- 
dom spring up in your hearts, and cultivate it. 8 140. 

After all our endeavors to obtain wisdom from the best 
books, etc , there still remains an open fountain for all , "If 
any man lack wisdom let him ask of God/' Let every Lat- 
ter-day Saint constantly practice himself in the perform- 
ance of every good word and work, to acknowledge God to 
be God, to be strict in keeping his laws, and learning to 
love mercy, eschew evil and delight in constantly doing 
that which is pleasing to God. This is the only sure way to 
obtain influence with God and all good men. 9:370. 

As we prepare materials to build a house or temple, so 
man can prepare himself for the reception of eternal wis- 
dom. We go where the materials for a house are, and pre- 
pare them to answer our purpose ; so we may go to where 
eternal wisdom dwells and there diligently seek to possess 
it, for its price is above rubies. 9 :250. 

Who is it that understands wisdom before God? In 
some respects we have to define it for ourselves — each for 
himself — according to our own views, judgment and faith, 
and the observance of the Word of Wisdom or the inter- 
pretation of God's requirements on this subject, must be 
left partially, with the people. 14 :20. 

It is our privilege to be as wise in our generation as the 
children of this world ; and not only so, but it is our duty to 
be as wise in our generation as the children of this world. 
We have the true light and knowledge* and we ought to 
know as much as the philosophical world, or as any other 
people on the earth. We ought at least to know as much 
about politics as do the political world, or as do any other 
people. I expect that we do; and if we only apply our 
minds in the proper time and channel, we know as much 



404 DISCOURSES OF BRIGEAM YOUNG 

about the Christian world as do any other people, and we 
ought to know as much about the whole world as do any 
other people. In fact, we ought to know more upon all 
those matters than any other people; for we are privileged 
with far superior advantages, through faith and obedience 
to the Gospel, 4*356 

We pray for wisdom, but God will as soon put bread and 
meat in our cupboards without any endeavor of ours, as he 
will give us wisdom without our trying to get it If a man 
wants a farm, let him make it; if he wishes an orchard he 
plants it; if he wants a house for his family to live in, he 
must gather the materials and build it He will give us 
wisdom in these things, but he will not come down to do 
the manual labor. 9 250. 

This people are increasing in the wisdom which cometh 
from God, and their power to organize the crude elements 
around them into the necessaries of life is in ratio to their 
increase of intelligence and application of labor. In this 
way we ought to understand these great principles. We 
need not seek for a revelation to know how to make cloth, 
when the mode is plainly marked before pur eyes. Sheep 
produce a textile material, and how to make it into cloth 
has been known time out of mind, we can raise sheep in 
abundance I do not look for power from the heavens that 
will produce for us wool, cloth, iron, food, or anything we 
need, without being made with hands We should under- 
stand what is required of us to sustain ourselves. 9 255 

It is the privilege of man to search out the wisdom of 
God pertaining to the earth and the heavens. 9 242. 

Real wisdom is a real pleasure; real wisdom, prudence, 
and understanding, is a real comfort 19 96 

I want our children to go and hear all there is to hear, 



EDUCATION 405 

for the whole sum of it will be wound up as I once heard 
one of the finest speakers America has ever produced say, 
when speaking on the soul of man. After laboring long on 
the subject, he straightened himself up — he was a fine look- 
ing man — and, said he, "My brethren and sisters, I must 
come to the conclusion that the soul of man is an imma- 
terial substance " Said I, "Bah!" 14-198. 



CHAPTER XXIII 
SELF CONTROL 

The Will of Man— You call it will It is the divinity 
God has placed in his intelligent creatures. 8 209 

Have we a will? Yes. It is an endowment, a trait of 
the character of the Gods, with which all intelligence is en- 
dowed, in heaven and on earth, — the power to accept or 
reject. 9:106. 

God has placed within us a will, and we should be satis- 
fied to have it controlled by the will of the Almighty Let 
the human will be indomitable for right. It has been the 
custom of parents to break the will until it is weakened, 
and the noble, God-like powers of the child are reduced to 
a comparative state of imbecility and cowardice. Let that 
heaven-born property of human agents be properly tem- 
pered and wisely directed, instead df pursuing the opposite 
course, and it will conquer in the cause of right. Break 
not the spirit of any person, but guide it to feel that it is 
its greatest delight and highest ambition to be controlled 
by the revelations of Jesus Christ, then the will of man 
becomes God-like in overcoming the evil that is sown in 
the flesh, until God shall reign within us to will and do of 
his good pleasure. 9:150. 

Take people in every capacity of life, and their wills are 
first and foremost. You can gain and lead the affections 
of the people, but you cannot scare them, nor whip them, 
nor burn them to do right against their wills. The human 
family will die to gratify their wills. Then learn to rightly 
direct those wills, and you can direct the influence and 
power of the people. 8 363. 



SELF CONTROL 407 

There is no man or woman on the earth in the habit of 
stealing, but what can cease the practice right square if 
they are disposed And so with the liar, he can stop lying, 
and lie no more, and tell the truth. It only wants the will 
to do it, and that will brought into exercise to enable the 
liar to be truthful, the thief to be honest, and the swearer 
to stop his evil speaking. 18:77. 

We want the spirit, knowledge, power and principle 
within us to govern and control our tempers; there is no 
danger of having too much if we will only control them by 
the Spirit of the Almighty. Every intelligent being on the 
earth is tempered for glory, beauty, excellency and knowl- 
edge here, and for immortality and eternal lives in the 
worlds to come. But every being who attains to this must 
be sanctified before God and be completely under the con- 
trol of his Spirit. If I am thus controlled by the Spirit of 
the Most High, I am a king. I am supreme so far as the con- 
trol of self is concerned ; and it also enables me to control 
my wives and children. And when they thus see that I am 
under the government and control of the good'Spint, they 
will be perfectly submissive to my dictates. 13 '272. 

Now I charge you again, and I charge myself not to get 
angry. Never let anger arise in your hearts. No, Brigham, 
never let anger arise in your heart, never, never ! Although 
you may be called upon to chastise and to speak to the peo- 
ple sharply, do not let anger arise in you, no, never 1 14:156. 

Self Control Necessary — We are trying to govern our- 
selves, and if we continue trying and faint not, we shall 
assuredly conquer. 11 :256. 

Let the people study to bring their thinking or reflecting 
faculties into subjection. 6:94. 

Learn to control yourselves ; learn to be in the hands of 



408 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

God as^clay m the hands of the potter, and if he will turn 
our enemies away, praised be his name But if it should 
become a duty to take the sword, let us do it manfully and 
in the strength of Israel's God. 5 229 

I answer, it is the absolute and imperative duty of the 
Elders of Israel to try and control themselves and their 
families and their brethren, until they can hold control over 
all things m righteousness, 10:333. 

I have frequently said that the greatest endowment God 
ever gave to man is good, sound, solid sense to know how 
to govern ourselves. 9 250. 

No man can ever become a ruler in the Kingdom of God, 
until he can perfectly rule himself, then is he capable of 
raising a family of children who will rise up and call him 
blessed 9:334. 

No man ever did, or ever will rule judiciously on this 
earth, with honor to himself and glory to his God, unless 
he first learn to rule and control himself. A man must first 
learn to rule himself rightly before his knowledge can be 
fully brought to bear for the correct government of a fam- 
ily, a neighborhood, or nation, over which it is his lot to 
preside. 3 :256. 

In this probation, we have evil to contend with, and we 
must overcome it m ourselves, or we never shall overcome 
it anywhere else 6:99. 

You have been taught the standard of right. Now sub- 
due your rebellious passions, dismiss everything that you 
know or consider to be wrong, and embrace that which is 
better 6 74. 

Let each person be determined, in the name of the Lord 
Jesus Christ, to overcome every besetment — to be the 
master of himself, that the Spirit God has put in your tab- 



SELF CONTROL 409 

ernacles shall rule; then you can converse, live, labor, go 
here or there, do this or that, and converse and deal with 
your brethren as you ought. 8:139. 

You cannot inherit eternal life, unless your appetites are 
brought in subjection to the spirit that lives within you, 
that spirit which our Father in Heaven gave. I mean the 
Father of your spirits, of those spirits which he has put 
into these tabernacles. The tabernacle must be brought in 
subjection to the spirit perfectly, or your bodies cannot be 
raised to inherit eternal life; if they do come forth, they 
must dwell in a lower kingdom. Seek diligently, until 
you bring all into subjection to the law of Christ. 4.200. 

We often hear people excuse themselves for their un- 
couth manners and offensive language, by remarking "I am 
no hypocrite," thus taking to themselves credit for that 
which is really no credit to them. When evil arises within 
me, let me throw a cloak over it, subdue it, instead of act- 
ing it out upon the false presumption that I am honest and 
no hypocrite. Let not thy tongue give utterance to the 
evil that is in thine heart, but command thy tongue to be 
silent until good shall prevail over the evil, until thy wrath 
has passed away and the good Spirit shall move thy tongue 
to blessings and words of kindness. So far I believe in be- 
ing a hypocrite. This is practical with me. When my feel- 
ings are aroused to anger by the ill-doings of others, I 
hold them as I would hold a wild horse, and I gain the vic- 
tory. Some think and say that it makes them feel better 
when they are mad, as they call it, to give vent to their 
madness in abusive and unbecoming language. This, how- 
ever, is a mistake. Instead of its making you feel better, 
it is making bad worse. When you- think and say it makes 
you better you give credit to a falsehood. When the wrath 



410 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

and bitterness of the human heart are moulded into words 
and hurled with, violence at one another, without any check 
or hindrance, the fire has no sooner expended itself than it 
is again re-kindled through some trifling course, until the 
course of nature is set on fire; "and it is set on fire of hell " 
11:255. 

Be patient, do not murmur at the dealings of Provi- 
dence. The Lord rules in the heavens and \\ orks his pleas- 
ure upon the earth. Can you comprehend the meaning of 
the Prophet Amos in the question "Shall there be evil 
in the city, and the Lord hath not done it ? " His provi 
dences are constantl> ruling and overruling, to a greater 
or less degree, in the affairs of the children of men. 7 237 

The sooner an individual resists temptation to do, say, 
or think wrong, while he has light to correct his judgment, 
the quicker he will gain strength and power to overcome 
every temptation to evil. 6:94. 

I am trying to civilize myself Are you trying to do the 
same ? If we have succeeded in this, then we have control 
over our words and over our actions, and also, so far as our 
influence goes, over our associates If we are civilized our- 
selves, we shall be partially prepared to receive the things 
that our Father and God has in store for all such as prepare 
themselves to become recipients of his choice gifts — for en- 
lightenment, for intelligence, for glory, for power, and for 
every qualification he wishes to bestow upon his children 
here upon the earth, to prepare them to dwell in mansions 
of eternal light. 8 .7 

Until we can subdue our own passions, and bring every 
human feeling and aspiration into subjection to the will of 
God, we are not really capable of guiding and dictating oth- 
ers to the full possesion of victory m the Kingdom of God. 



SELF CONTROL 411 

To conquer and subdue, and school ourselves until we bring 
everything 1 into subjection to the law of Christ, is our work 
11 13 

The thousands and tens of thousands of incidents that 
make up the sum of human lives, whether for good or evil, 
depend on a momentary watchfulness and care. 8 52. 

A righteous person will never be discouraged, but w r ill 
constantly contend against his evil passions, and against 
evil m his family and neighborhood ; and the Lord will ut- 
terly cleanse his thrashing floor as with the besom of de- 
struction 8 151 

Many men will say they have a violent temper, and 
try to excuse themselves for actions of which they are 
ashamed I will say, there is not a man in this house who 
has a more indomitable and unyielding temper than my- 
self But there is not a man m the world who cannot over- 
come his passion, if he will struggle earnestly to do so If 
you find passion coming on you, go off to some place where 
you cannot be heard, let none of your family see you or 
hear you, while it is upon you, but struggle till it leaves 
you, and pray for strength to overcome. As I have said 
many times to the Elders, pray m your families; and if, 
when the time for prayer comes, you have not the spirit of 
prayer upon you, and your knees are unwilling to bow, say 
to them "Knees, get down there;" make them bend, and 
remain there until you obtain the Spirit of the Lord. If the 
spirit yields to the body, it becomes corrupt; but if the 
body yields to the spirit it becomes pure and holy. 1 1-290. 

Thirty years' experience has taught me that every mo- 
ment of my life must be holiness to the Lord, resulting from 
equity, justice, mercy, and uprightness in all my actions, 



412 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

which is the only course by which I can preserve the Spirit 
of the Almighty to myself. 9:220. 

Check Your Words— If you first gain power to check 
your words, you will then begin to have power to check 
your judgment, and at length actually gain power to check 
your thoughts and reflections 6 98 

You should succeed in bringing your tongues into sub- 
jection, so as never to let them speak evil, so that they will 
perfectly obey your judgment and the discretion God has 
given you, and are perfectly obedient to the will of the holy 
Gospel 3 195. 

There is an old maxim, and in many cases an excellent 
one It is, "Think twice before you speak, and three times 
before you act " If we train ourselves to think what we 
are about to do, before we do it, and have understanding to 
know, and power to perform the good, we can thereby avoid 
the evil that is present with us. 1 92. 

It is also a precious gift, that some people seem to be 
possessed of, to have knowledge enough not to talk until 
they can say something to advantage and benefit to them- 
selves, or others, or both. 9 '86. 

If any are in the habit of taking the name of God in 
vain, cease doing so today, tomorrow and throughout the 
coming week, and so continue, and you will soon gain 
strength to overcome the habit entirely; you will gain 
power over your words. Some are in the habit of talking 
about their neighbors, of vending stones they know noth- 
ing about, only that Aunt Sally said that Cousin Fanny 
told Aunt Betsy that old Aunt Ruth said something or 
other, or somebody had had a dream ; and by the time the 
story or dream reaches you, it has assumed the semblance 
of a fact, and you are very foolishly spending your time in 



SELF CONTROL 413 

talking about things that amount to nothing, or that you 
have no concern with. A report is started that such a one 
has done wrong, and, by the time it has gone its round, has 
become anointed with the salve of the backbiter and tale- 
bearer—become endowed with their spirit One and an- 
other falls in with it and says, "That is true — your cause is 
just, you are exactly right, and the other is surely wrong/' 
when they know nothing about the matter, thereby engen- 
dering entirely groundless ill feelings against each other 
Before we condemn, we should wait until the heavens 
clearly indicate a fault m a father, brother, sister, wife, hus- 
band, or neighbor. And if heaven declares a fault, wait 
until the Holy Ghost manifests to you that such is a fault 
Let the Father reveal to you that the person you are think- 
ing or talking about is actually wrong Traduce no per- 
son. When you know what right is, and are capable of 
correcting a person that is wrong, then it is time enough for 
you to judge. 6 "97-98. 

Cease Your Anger — No man or people possessing wis- 
dom will give vent to wrath, for that is calculated to 
weaken, to destroy, to blot out of existence 7 :10. 

Cease your anger, and sullenness of temper, and serve 
the Lord with cheerfulness, and singleness of heart. You 
need not expect salvation, except you can administer the 
same salvation to others, both in precept and example. If 
you expect compassion from me, administer the same to 
me. If you wish kind words and kind treatment from me, 
give me the same blessing you desire yourself; and that is 
the way you will be saved. 1 :245. 

Do not get so angry that you cannot pray ; do not allow 
yourselves to become so angry that you cannot feed an 
enemy— even your worst enemy, if an opportunity should 



414 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

present itself There is a wicked anger, and there is a 
righteous anger. The Lord does not suffer wicked anger 
to be in his heart; but there is anger m his bosom, and he 
will hold a controversy with the nations, and will sift them, 
and no power can stay his hand 5 228 

If you give way to your angry feelings, it sets on fire 
the whole course of nature, and is set on fire of hell ; and 
you are then apt to set those on fire who aie contending 
with you When you feel as though you would burst, tell 
the old boiler to burst, and just laugh at the temptation to 
speak evil. If you will continue to do that, you will soon 
be so masters of yourselves as to be able, if not to tame, to 
control your tongues — able to speak when you ought, and 
to be silent when you ought. 6 -75 

Learn to Know Ourselves— The greatest lesson you can 
learn is to know yourselves When we know ourselves, we 
know our neighbors When we know precisely how to deal 
with ourselves, we know how to deal with our neighbors 
You have come here to learn this. You cannot learn it 
immediately, neither can all the philosophy of the age teach 
it to you , you have to come here to get a practical expe- 
rience and to know yourselves. You will then begin to 
learn more perfectly the things of God. No being can thor- 
oughly know himself, without understanding more or less 
of the things of God ; neither can any being learn and under- 
stand the things of God, without knowing himself . he must 
know himself, or he never can know God 8 334 

But people cannot judge themselves as they can others, 
nor look upon their own conduct as they do upon the con- 
duct of others We must learn to look at ourselves, to 
judge ourselves, and know how to deal with ourselves and 



SELF CONTROL 415 

that will enable us to bring- ourselves into perfect subjection 
to the law of Chi ist. 6 '73. f 

There is a trait in the character of man which is fre- 
quently made manifest m the Saints It is simply this — 
to see faults m others when we do not examine our own 
When you see people, professing to be Latter-day Saints, 
examining the faults of others, you may know that they are 
not walking m the path of obedience as strictly as they 
should 11 292 

Let Us Mind Our Own Business — I will repeat part of 
the "Mormon Creed," viz "Let every man mind his own 
business " If this is observed, every man will have busi- 
ness sufficient on hand, so as not to afford time to trouble 
himself with the business of other people 2 .92-93. 

If we will faithfully mind our own concerns, live our 
religion, do good to all men, preach the Gospel to the na- 
tions of the earth, gather up the honest m heart, build up 
and establish Zion in the earth, and send the Gospel to the 
House of Israel, and live -and serve God in all things, all 
will be well with us, we have no cause for fear in the least 
19-5 . 

- The question may be asked : "Are we never to know 
the doings of others ? Are we never to look to see how 
others are walking and progressing in this Gospel ? Must 
we forever and forever confine our minds to thinking of 
ourselves, and our eyes to looking at ourselves?" I can 
merely say that if persons only understand the path of duty 
and walk therein, attending strictly to whatever is required 
of them, they will have plenty to do to examine themselves 
and to purify their own hearts; and if they look at their 
neighbors and examine their conduct, they will look for 
good and not for evil. 11 .292. 



416 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

My position in the presence of God, before the angels 
and upon the face of the earth, is that it is easier and more 
delightful to serve God than to >serve ourselves and the 
Devil. 13:1. 



CHAPTER XXIV 
OUR FELLOW MEN 

Love Each Other — Go on until we are perfect, loving 
our neighbor more than we love ourselves 19:49 

Put away all unkind feelings, and let all your medita- 
tions be correct 8 :72. 

It is folly in the extreme for persons to say that they 
love God ; when they do not love their brethren ; and it is 
of no use for them to say that they have confidence in God, 
when they have none in righteous men, 4:297. 

We are not here isolated and alone, differently formed 
and composed of different material from the rest of the hu- 
man race. We belong to and are part of this family, con- 
sequently we are under obligations one to another, and the 
Latter-day Saints in these mountains are under obliga- 
tions to their brethren and sisters scattered in the nations 
who, through indigent circumstances, are unable to gather 
to themselves the comforts of life. 13:301. 

Be just as independent as a God to do good. Love 
mercy, eschew evil, be a savior to yourselves and to your 
families, and to your fellow beings just as much as you 
possibly can, and go on with your independence and do not 
yield yourselves servants to obey an evil principle or an 
evil being. 15 :7. 

It should be satisfactory evidence that you are in the 
path of life, if you love God and your brethren with all 
your hearts. You may see, or think you see, a thousand 
faults in your brethren; yet they are organized as you are; 
they are flesh of your flesh, bone of your bone-; they are of 
your Father who is in heaven ; we are all his children, and 



418 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

should be satisfied with each other as far as possible The 
main difficulty m the hearts of those who are dissatisfied 
is, they are not satisfied with themselves 8 287. 

We should commence our labors of love and kindness 
with the family to which we belong; and then extend them 
toothers. 11-288. 

A man or woman who has embraced, and who enjoys, 
the principles of this Church, ought to live like an angel. 
They ought never to be angry with each other, but live in 
the light of the truth continually, and every man be kind 
to his neighbor. 1-245. 

The Latter-day Saints have got to learn that the inter- 
est of their brethren is their own interest, or they never 
can be saved m the celestial kingdom of God. 3 331. 

Let us have compassion upon each other, and let the 
strong tenderly nurse the weak into strength, and let those 
who can see guide the blind until they can see the way for 
themselves, 10 :213 

When you see a neighbor begin to slip, pray for him that 
he may have the Spirit of the Gospel as he once had. And 
if you feel this Spirit within yourselves, pray for an in- 
crease of that light you received when you first received 
the Gospel, and you will save yourself and house 8 :164. 

Envy not those who do better than you do ; do not pur™ 
sue them with malice, but try to shape and frame your life 
by theirs, 11 256. 

Reason as to why it is that you can remember an injury 
better than a kindness; why you can retain hatred longer 
than love Is it through your fallen nature? Is it because 
you were begotten and born in sin ? Or is it not rather be- 
cause the power of the tempter has control over you, and 
because the world is full of evil principles, and you have 



OUR FELLOW MEN 419 

adhered to them? Yes, this is the cause, and you must 
acknowledge it The whole world is contaminated with a 
spirit to remember evil and forget the good. 3 356. 

I have examined myself very closely; I have been try- 
ing to know myself, to govern myself, and purify my own 
heart The worst evil I can imagine or w*=h to come upon 
the enemies of truth is, that they be oblig to live by holy 
principles, and to deal by their fellow-creatures as they 
would wish to be dealt by 8 13-14. 

Be kind to all as our Father in Heaven is kind. He sends 
his ram upon the just and the unjust; and gives the sun to 
shine upon the evil and the good So let our goodness ex- 
tend to all the works of his hands, where we can , but do not 
yield to the spirit and influence of evil. Do not encourage 
wickedness in our midst. 12 220. 

Do I say, Love your enemies 7 Yes, upon certain prin- 
ciples But you are not required to love their wickedness , 
you are only required to love them so far as concerns a 
desire and effort to turn them from their evil ways, that 
they may be saved through obedience to the Gospel, 871. 

If there is nothing in the heart which governs us, and 
controls to an evil effect, the tongue of itself will never 
produce evil 3.196 

Let Us Be Merciful— The genius of our religion is to 
have mercy upon all, do good to all, as far as they will let 
us do good to them 11 -282. 

God bless the humble and the righteous, and may he 
have compassion upon us because of the weakness that is 
in our nature And considering the great weakness and 
ignorance of mortals, let us have mercy upon each other. 
9-158 * 

Let us be just, merciful, faithful and true, and let us 



420 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

live our religion, and we shall be taught all things pertain- 
ing to the building up of Zion 10-177. 

The merciful man shall find mercy. When a man de- 
signedly does wrong, he ought to be chastised for that 
wrong, receiving according to his works If a man does 
wrong through ignorance, and manifests sincere sorrow for 
the wrong, he is the one whom we should forgive seventy 
times m a day, if necessary, and not the one who has de- 
signedly done wrong and repents not 7 .244. 

Men should act upon the principle of righteousness, be- 
cause it is right, and is a principle which they love to cherish 
and see practiced by all men They should love mercy, 
because of its benevolence, charity, love, clemency, and all 
of its lovely attributes, and be inspired thereby to deal 
justly, fairly, honorably, meting out to others their just 
deservings. 1:119. 

When we hold unrighteous, ungodly persons in fellow- 
ship, it injures the whole body of Christ ; but we do it be- 
cause we have compassion for them 10 284 

Be steadfast, always abiding in the truth Never en- 
courage malice or hatred in your hearts , that does not be- 
long to a Saint I can say in truth, that with all the abuse 
I have ever met, driven from my home, robbed of my sub- 
stance, I do not know that a spirit of malice has ever rested 
in my heart. I have asked the Lord to mete out justice to 
those who have oppressed us, and the Lord will take his 
own time and way for doing this. It is in his hands, and 
not in mine, and I am glad of it, for I could not deal with 
the wicked as they should be dealt with. 10.297. 

Show Charity— Only a few men on the earth understand 
the charity that fills the bosom of our Savior. We should 
have chanty; we should do all we can to reclaim the lost 



OUR FELLOW MEN 421 

sons and daughters of Adam and Eve, and bring them back 
to be saved in the presence of our Father and God If we 
do this, our charity will extend to the utmost extent that it 
is designed for the charity of God to extend in the midst of 
this people. 8 175. 

Let all Latter-day Saints learn that the weaknesses of 
their brethren are not sins When men or women un- 
designedly commit a wrong, do not attribute that to them 
as a sin. Let us learn to be compassionate one with an- 
other; let mercy and kindness soften every angry and fret- 
ful temper, that we may become long suffering and bene- 
ficent in all our communications one with another. 9 :334. 

Let us be patient with one another, I do not altogether 
look at things as you do My judgment is not in all things 
like yours, nor yours like mine When you judge a man or 
woman, judge the intentions of the heart It is not by 
words, particularly, nor by actions, that men will be judged 
in the great day of the Lord ; but, in connection with words 
and actions, the sentiments and intentions of the heart will 
be taken, and by these will Jnen be judged. 8 10 

Ye mighty men of God, make sure the path for your own 
feet to walk to eternal life, and take as many with you as 
you can. Take them as they are, understand them as they 
are, and deal with them as they are, look at them as God 
looks at them, and then you can judge them as he would 
judge them. 8:10. 

Respect one another, do not speak lightly of each other. 
Some, if they get a little pique against an individual, are 
disposed to cast him down to hell, as not worthy of a place 
upon earth. O fools ! not to understand that those you con- 
demn are the workmanship of God, as well as yourselves ! 
God overlooks their weaknesses , and so far as they do good, 



422 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

they are as acceptable as we are. Thank God that you know 
better, and be full of mercy and kindness 8 '149 

Suppose that in this community there are ten beggars 
who beg from door to door for something to eat, and that 
nine of them are imposters who beg to escape work, and 
with an evil heart practice imposition upon the generous 
and sympathetic, and that only one of the ten who visit 
your doors is worthy of your bounty ; which is best, to give 
food to the ten, to make sure of helping the truly needy 
one, or to repulse the ten because you do not know which is 
the worthy one? You will all say, administer charitable 
gifts to the ten, rather than turn away the only truly worthy 
and truly needy person among them If you do this, it will 
make no difference in your blessings, whether you ad- 
minister to worthy or unworthy persons, inasmuch as you 
give alms with a single eye to assist the truly needy 8 .12 

My experience has taught me, and it has become a prin- 
ciple with me, that it is never any benefit to give, out and 
out, to man or woman, money, food, clothing, or anything 
else, if they are able-bodied, and can work and eaxn what 
they need, when there is anything on the earth, for them 
to do This is my principle, and I try to act upon it. To 
pursue a contrary course would ruin any community in the 
world and make them idlers. People trained in this way 
have no interest in working, "but," say they, "we can beg, 
or we can get this, that, or the other/' No, my plan and 
counsel would be, let every person, able to work, work and 
earn what he needs ; and if the poor come around me— able- 
bodied men and women — take them and put them into the 
house "Do you need them?" No, but I will teach this 
girl to do housework, and teach that woman to sew and do 
other kinds of work, that they may be profitable when they 



OUR FELLOW MEN 423 

get married or go for themselves "Will you give them 
anything to wear?" 0, yes make them comfortable, give 
them plenty to eat and teach them to labor and earn what 
they need , for the bone and sinew of men and women are 
the capital of the world 1 1 .297. 

To give to the idler is as wicked as anything else Never 
give anything to the idler 16 19. 

Set the poor to work — setting out orchards, splitting 
lails, digging ditches, making fences, or anything useful, 
and so enable them to buy meal and flour and the neces- 
saries of life. 12:60-61. 

Have the poor got greedy eyes? Are they covetous and 
penurious * I shall go a little too far if I am not careful 
I must guard myself, because the Lord has chosen the poor 
of this world But what kmd of poor^ Now the poor may 
be divided into three classes. In the first place there is the 
Lord's poor, of which you may pick up one here and an- 
other there, one in a city, two m a family. Is there any 
other kind? Yes, you come across a certain class that may 
be called the Devils poor Is there any other class ? Yes, 
there is another class, who, long before I ever mentioned 
them, were denominated poor devils Hence we have the 
Lord's poor, the Devil's poor, and poor devils. 12 -57. 

Establish Confidence— Preserve your honor, and your 
integrity, and ever cherish the confidence that men repose 
in you. 11:256. 

Want of confidence is the parent of moral imbecility 
and intellectual weakness, 10 20 

But if we lack confidence in each other, and "be jealous 
of each other, our peace will be destroyed. If we cultivate 
the principles of unshaken confidence m each other, our joy 
will be full 1 33 



424 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

If we could obtain that faith and confidence in each 
other, and in our God, that when we ask a favor, we could 
do so with a full assurance and knowledge that we should 
receive, do you not perceive that it would lead us directly 
to do as we would be done by, in every transaction and cir- 
cumstance of life? It would prompt us to do, not only as 
much as requested, but more If your brother should re- 
quest you to go with him a mile, you 'would go two ; if he 
should sue you for your coat, you would give him your 
cloak also This principle prompts us to do all we can to 
promote the interest of each other, the cause of God on the 
earth, and whatever the Lord desires us to do ; makes us 
ready and willing to perform it at once. 1*115. 

If you wish to establish a confidence such as the Gods 
enjoy, let us cease from every evil act, and from the con- 
templation of every evil design, never infringe upon an- 
other's rights, but let each one sustain his brother m the 
enjoyment of his privileges arm* rights, holding them as 
sacred as our own salvation If confidence has been lost, 
this is the surest and only successful way to restore it. 
Hear it, ye preachers, ye Apostles, and Prophets , ye Elders, 
High Priests, and Seventies ; ye Priests, Teachers, Deacons, 
and Bishops ; every man and woman in the Church of God 
throughout the world , commence to preacn this discourse 
at home, beginning with your own heart ; then teach your 
wives and your children; then let it spread its warning and 
cheering influence, like the genial sunbeam, from family to 
family, until the whole Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day 
Saints is united as the heart of one man. 1 315. 

Let us from this time forth live so as to create confi- 
dence in all men with whom we deal and come in contact; 
and treasure up each particle of confidence we obtain as 



OUR PELLOW MEN 425 

one of the most precious possessions mortals can possibly 
possess. When by my good actions I have created confi- 
dence in my neighbor towards me, I pray that I may never 
do anything that will destroy it 11 256. 

The work in which you and I have enlisted is to restore 
confidence in the minds of the people; and when I hear of 
circumstances transpiring in which brethren forfeit their 
word I regard it as a blot upon the character of this people 
We should keep our word with each other. And if we have 
difficulty or misunderstanding with each other, talk it over, 
canvass the subject thoroughly, seriously and discreetly, 
and we shall find that all difficulties will be remedied in 
this way easier than any other; and we shall also find that 
nearly every difficulty that arises in the midst of the in- 
habitants of the earth, is through misunderstanding; and if 
a wrong in intent and design really exists, if the matter is 
canvassed over, the wrong-doer is generally willing to come 
to terms 14-278. 

Avoid Contention — I consider it as a disgrace to the 
community, and m the eyes of the Lord, and of angels, 
and m the eyes of all the Prophets and Revelators that have 
ever lived upon the earth, when a community will descend 
to a low, degraded state of contention with each other 1 :32 

I wish men would look upon that eternity which is 
before them. In the great morning of the resurrection, 
with what grief would they look upon their little trifling 
affairs of this probation ; they would say, "0 ! do not men- 
tion it, for it is a source of mortification to me to think that 
I ever should be guilty of doing wrong, or of neglecting to 
do good to my fellowmen, even if they have abused me." 
1:32. 

When a difference of judgment exists between two 



426 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

parties, let them come together and lay their difficulties at 
each other's feet, laying themselves down in the ciadle of 
humility, and say, "brother (or sister) I want to do right, 
yea, I will even wrong myself, to make you right " Do 
you not think that a man or woman, acting in that man- 
ner towards his or her neighbor, would be justified by the 
law of righteousness? Their judgments come together, and 
they are agreed there would, consequently, be no need of 
calling in a third person to settle the difference After tak- 
ing this course, if you cannot come together, then call in a 
third person and settle it 6 '319. 

Contentions frequently arise to so alienating a degree that 
brethren ha\e no faith in each other's honesty and integrity, 
when, perhaps, both parties have stumbled over a little, 
selfish, ignorant, personal misunderstanding, are carrying 
it to the extent of wishing to cut each other off from the 
Church Very frequently such cases are presented before 
me Unravel the difficulty, and it is found to have started 
in a trifling misunderstanding in relation to some small 
matter, all the trouble has arisen from a most frivolous 
cause. Avoid nursing misunderstandings into difficulties. 
Some talk with a heavy, deep stress upon their words, with- 
out intending anything harsh or unkind. 8:72. 

If your neighbors talk about you, and you think that 
they do wrong in speaking evil of you, do not let then! 
know that you ever heard a word, and conduct yourselves 
as if they always did right, and it will mortify them, and 
they will say, "We'll not try this game any longer." 19 70 

Let us make ourselves capable of doing at least a little 
good, and this will occupy our minds upon something that 
is indeed profitable to others, and will somewhat divert our 



OUR FELLOW MEN 427 

attention from worshiping ourselves and blaming every- 
body that does not do the same 10:205. 

Now, if you do not want to quarrel, take measures to 
prevent it. 12:315. 

Do Not Deal Out Judgment— Cease looking at others 
Cease to judge each other. 6:74. 

Kindness, love, and affection" are the best rod to use 
upon the refractory. 9:195 

Away with all little meannesses, and deal out kindness 
to all Chasten, where chastening will answer best; but 
try persuasion before you try the rod. 8:63 

Do not throw away a man or a woman, old or young. 
If they commit an evil today, and another tomorrow, but 
wish to be Saints and to be forgiven, do you forgive them, 
not only seven times, but seventy times seven in a day, if 
their hearts are fully set to do right. Let us make it a point 
to pass over their weaknesses and say, "God bless you in 
trying to be better in time to come," and act as wise stew- 
ards in the Kingdom of God. 8:368. 

You are not as you should be, unless you can correct 
every person you know to be wrong, without having per- 
sonal ill-feelings against them. 8:191. 

Judge not, that ye be not judged. Let no man judge 
his fellow being, unless he knows he has the mind of Christ 
within him. We ought to reflect seriously upon this point ; 
how often it is said — "Such a person has done wrong, and 
he cannot be a Saint, or he would not do so." How do 
you know? We hear some swear and lie; they trample 
upon the rights of their neighbor, break the Sabbath by 
staying away from meeting, riding about the city, hunting 
horses and cattle, or working in the canyons. Do not judge 
such persons, for you do not know the design of the Lord 



428 DISCOUSSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

concerning them , therefore, do not say they are not Samts 
What shall we do with them' Bear with them. The 
brethren and sisters from the old countries frequently place 
great confidence in the American Elders who have been 
their pastors, but some trifling thing occurs that does not 
appear right to them, and they say in a moment, "That 
Elder is not a Latter-day Saint." Judge no man A person 
who would say another is not a Latter-day Saint, for some 
trifling affair in human life proves that he does not possess 
the Spirit of God Think of this, brethren and sisters; 
write it down, that you may refresh your memories with 
it ; carry it with you and look at it often If I judge my 
brethren and sisters, unless I judge them by the revelations 
of Jesus Christ, I have not the spirit of Christ , if I had, I 
should judge no man. 1 .339. 

I am very thankful that it is not our province, in our 
present condition, to judge the world ; if it were, we would 
rum everything. We have not sufficient wisdom, our 
minds are not filled with the knowledge and power of God ; 
the spirit needs to contend with the flesh a little more 
until it shall be successful in subduing its passions, until 
the whole soul is brought into perfect harmony with the 
mind and will of God And we must also acquire the dis- 
cretion that God exercises in being able to look into futurity, 
and to ascertain and know the results of our acts away in 
the future, even in eternity, before we will be capable of 
judging. 19 :7. 

If you are ever called upon to chasten a person, never 
chasten beyond the balm you have within you to bind up. 
9 124-5 

When a man has power over his neighbor, over his 
fellow-being, and puts him in torment, which is like the 



OUR FELLOW MEN 429 

flames of everlasting fire, so that he never dares to speak 
his mind, or walk across the street, or attend to any branch 
of business without a continual fear of his oppressor, and 
of the rod hanging over him for punishment, it is worse 
than to kill and eat him. That is as the torment of hell. 
2:140 

Respect for Neighbors— Treat the passing strangers 
with kindness and respect; treat all kindly and respectfully 
who respect you and your rights as American citizens 
10-249. 

Here is truth— here are life and salvation. Will you 
have them ? If you say, "Nay," all right ; for you have the 
privilege of making your own choice. It has never altered 
my feelings towards individuals, as men or as women, 
whether they belive as I do or not. Can you live as neigh- 
bors with me? I can with you; and it is no particular con- 
cern of mine whether you believe with me or not. 7*165. 

In our intercourse with outsiders — do not call them 
Gentiles — let our example be such as is worthy of imitation; 
then every one among them who is honest will say, "I guess 
you are right, I think I will come and stay with you." 
12:273. 

Lady and Gentleman Defined — Now, my brethren and 
sisters, from the high and from the lower circles of life, 
find if you can on the face of the earth a gentleman or lady, 
in the strict sense of the word, and you will find a man or 
woman that would border very closely on an angel. Every 
word that they speak will be seasoned with grace; every 
act of their lives would be as nigh as mortals can come to 
angels; nothing pertaining to them low, degrading or dis- 
graceful. You find a gentleman and you will find a man 
who possesses a heart full of charity, faith and love, full of 



430 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

good works, whose hand is always open to do good to every 
creature. You find a lady, and she is one who is ready to 
impart wisdom, knowledge, truth, and every virtuous and 
holy principle to her sisters and her fellow beings. These 
are the true lady and gentleman, but they aie of a higher 
order than those we now call ladies and gentlemen 12 -259 

The Negro— -The seed of Ham, which is the seed of Cain 
descending through Ham, will, according to the curse put 
upon him, serve his brethren, and be a "servant of servants" 
to his fellow-creatures, until God removes the curse ; and no 
power can hinder it 2*184 

The Generous Nature— It floods my heart with sorrow 
to see so many Elders of Israel who wish everybody to 
come to their standard and be measured by their measure. 
Every man must be just so long, to fit their iron bedstead, 
or be cut off to the right length; if too short, he' must bd 
stretched, to fill the requirement 

The faithful will exercise faith, and pray always for all 
who are within the reach of mercy. The good desire good 
to all. 11-273. 

If they see an erring brother or sister, whose course 
does not comport with their particular ideas of things, they 
conclude at once that he or she cannot be a Saint, and with- 
draw their fellowship, concluding that, if they are in the 
path of truth, others must have precisely their weight and 
dimensions 

The ignorance I see, in this particular, among this great 
people is lamentable. Let us not narrow ourselves up , for 
the world, with all its variety of useful information and its 
rich hoard of hidden treasure, is before us, and eternity, 
with all its sparkling intelligence, lofty aspirations, and un- 
speakable glories, is before us, and ready to aid us in the 



OUR FELLOW MEN 431 

scale of advancement and every useful improvement. 8 9. 
Serve the Lord, and try not to find fault with each other. 
Live so that you will not have any fault to find with your- 
selves and never mind the faults of your brethren, for each 
person has enough of his own to attend to 8*291. 

To be gentle and kind, modest and truthful, to be full 
of faith and integrity, doing no wrong is of God ; goodness 
sheds a halo of loveliness around every person who pos- 
sesses it, making their countenances beam with light, and 
their society desirable because of its excellency. They are 
loved of God, of holy angels, and of all the good on earth, 
while they are hated, envied, admired and feared by the 
wicked 11-240. 

We ought to be ourselves and not anybody else. We do 
not wish to be anybody else, neither do we wish to be any- 
body but Saints. 3 .363 

Every moment of human life should be devoted to doing 
good somewhere and in some way. 9 296. 

If every person m the community would correct his own 
errors each day he lives, the errors of the whole would con- 
tinually be effectually corrected It is an individual busi- 
ness, over which each man must preside, until every fault 
in our whole lives is corrected and we are sanctified before 
the Lord. 6 :316.' 

It is good to hold on to an old friend; and, no matter 
how many new friends I have, I always hold fast to the old 
ones, and never let them go, unless their wicked conduct 
breaks the thread of fellowship between us. 10 .42. 

What comes of litigation? Poverty and degradation 
to any community that will encourage it. Will it build 
cities, open farms, build railroads, erect telegraph lines and 



432 DISCOURSES OF BR1GHAM YOUNG 

improve a country? It will not; but it will bring any com- 
munity to ruin. 1 1 -259. 

He will bless any man, any family, or any people who 
is liberal. As it is written in the good book, "The liberal 
man deviseth liberal things," and if he deviseth liberal 
things by his liberality he shall stand. The Lord will bless 
that people that is full of charity, kindness and good works. 
13:279. 

I also say, Cease speaking evil one of another, and cease 
being dishonest. Masters, deal honestly and justly with 
those whom you hire, who are called servants. Servants, 
deal honestly and uprightly with those who employ you, 
who are called masters, that confidence and the spirit of 
brotherhood may be kindled, where now, in too many in- 
stances, the desire to take advantage exists. 18:233. 



CHAPTER XXV 
UNITY AND CO-OPERATION 

Be of One Mind and One Heart — I pray, my brethren, 
the Bishops, the Elders, the Seventies, the Apostles, yea, 
every man and woman and child who has named the name 
of Christ, to be of one heart and of one mind, for if we do 
not become of one heart and mind we shall surely perish 
by the way. 12:166. 

If we were one, we should then prove to heaven, to God 
our Father, to Jesus Christ our Elder Brother, to the angels, 
to the good upon the earth, and to all mankind that we are 
the disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. If we are not one, we 
are not in the true sense of the word the disciples of the 
Lord Jesus. 11 273. 

When truth comes, receive it as from the Lord, and let 
everything* be simplified to us as unto children, for the 
Lord has ordained tha't we may grow in grace, and in the 
knowledge of the truth, and be able to receive more knowl- 
edge, wisdom, and understanding, and it is not possible for 
us to receive it any other way, only as we apply our hearts 
strictly to overcome every evil and cleave to that which is 
pleasing to the Lord — to that which tends to life and salva- 
tion. This is the only channel in which we can become of 
one heart, and of one mind. 3.355. 

Jesus offered up one of the most essential prayers that 
could possibly be offered up by a human or heavenly being 
— no matter who, pertaining to the salvation of the people, 
and embodying a principle without which none can be 
saved, when he prayed the Father to make his disciples one, 
as he and his Father were one. He knew that if they did 



434 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

not become one, they could not be saved in the celestial 
kingdom of God If persons do not see as he did while m 
the flesh, hear as he heard, understand as he understood, 
and become precisely as he was, according to their several 
capacities and callings, they can never dwell with him and 
his Father 6.96. 

The Church of Jesus Christ could not exist, and be divided 
up into parties Where such disunion exists in any govern- 
ment, it ultimately becomes the means of the utter over- 
throw of that government or people, unless a timely remedy 
is applied. Party spirit once made its appearance in heaven, 
but was promptly checked 9 *332 

That perfect union, which must ultimately be enjoyed 
by the Latter-day Saints, can only be brought about by 
every man and woman living so as to keep their minds pure 
and unspotted like a piece of clean, white paper, being con- 
stantly free from the love of the world, that the spirit of 
revelation may easily indite upon the heart whatever is the 
mind and will of the Lord. We cannot be truly the mem- 
bers of Christ's mystical body without living in this way, 
that the Spirit may indite as easily upon the heart the things 
of God, as these brethren, our reporters can write with ink 
on paper. 11 19 

Perfect Oneness Will Save a People— We must become 
of one heart and mind, in order to fully enjoy the blessings 
we anticipate 6.41. 

If we are united, we are independent of the powers of 
hell and of the world. 5 :257. 

Unity of purpose and action, in carrying out the will of 
our Father, has been my theme all the day long. 18 -356 

A perfect oneness will save a people, because intelligent 
beings cannot become perfectly one, only by acting upon 



UNITY AND CO-OPERATION 435 

principles that pertain to eternal life Wicked men may be 
partially united in evil, but, in the very nature of things, 
such a union is of short duration. The very principle upon 
which they are partially united will itself breed contention 
and disunion to destroy the temporary compact. Only the 
line of truth and righteousness can secure to any kingdom 
or people, either of earthly or heavenly existence, an eter- 
nal continuation of perfect union , for only truth and those 
who are sanctified by it can dwell in celestial glory 7*277 

The Savior sought continually to impress upon the 
mmds of his disciples that a perfect oneness reigned among 
all celestial beings— that the Father and the Son and their 
Minister, the Holy Ghost, were one in their administration 
in heaven and among the people pertaining to this earth. 
Between them and all the heavenly hosts there can be no 
disunion, no discord, no wavering on a suggestion, on a 
thought or reflection, on a feeling or manifestation; for 
such a principle would differ widely from the character of 
him who dictates them, who makes his throne the habita- 
tion of justice, mercy, equity, and truth. If the heavenly 
hosts were not one, they would be entirely unfit to dwell 
m the eternal burnings with the Father and Ruler of the 
universe. 7 -276. 

All who keep the faith are of one heart and one mind, 
and this testimony is so confirmed to all that we cannot be 
mistaken. 18.231. 

How is it that the Latter-day Saints feel and understand 
alike, are of one heart and one mind, no matter where they 
may be when they receive the Gospel, whether in the north, 
or the south, the east or the west, even to the uttermost 
parts of the earth ? They receive that which was promised 
by the Savior when he was about to leave the earth, namely, 



436 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

the Comfoiter, that holy unction from on high which recog- 
nizes one God, one faith, one baptism, whose mind is the 
will of God the Father, in whom there dwelleth unity of 
faith and action, and m whom there cannot be division or 
confusion, when they received this fuither light, it mat- 
ters not whether they have seen each other or not, they 
have at once become brothers and sisters, having been 
adopted into the family of Christ through the bonds of the 
everlasting covenant, and all can then exclaim, in the beau- 
tiful language of Ruth, "Thy people shall be my people, 
and their God my God 1" And the fact that we receive this 
Comforter, the Holy Ghost, is proof that the spirit in war- 
ring with the flesh has overcome, and by continuing m this 
state of victory over our sinful bodies we become the sons 
and daughters of God Christ having made us free, and 
whoever the Son makes free is free indeed Having fought 
the good fight we then shall be prepared to lay our bodies 
down to rest to await the morning of the resurrection when 
they will come forth and be reunited with the spirits, the 
faithful, as it is said, receiving crowns, glory, immortality 
and eternal lives, even a fulness with the Father, when Jesus 
shall present his work to the Father, saying, "Father, here 
is the work thou gavest me to do." Then will they become 
Gods, even the sons of God; then will they become eternal 
fathers, eternal mothers, eternal sons and eternal daughters ; 
being eternal in their organization they go from glory to 
glory, from power to power; they will never cease to in- 
crease and to multiply, worlds without end When they 
receive their crowns, their dominions, they then will be pre- 
pared to frame earths like unto ours and to people them in 
the same manner as we have been brought forth by our 
parents, by our Father and God 18 259 



UNITY AND CO-OPERATION 437" 

To be a Saint is to be as Jesus was, to be assimilated 
to the spirit and character which he exhibited while here 
on earth 12 310. 

Unity in God's Work, the Strength of Zion— Who can 
resist the power possessed by the Latter-day Saints in their 
union ? And the stronger our union, the more mighty are 
the bands of our strength 9 241 

I wish the people to understand that they have no inter- 
est apart from the Lord our God The moment you have a 
divided interest, that moment you sever yourselves from 
eternal principles 4 -31. 

The faith of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is calculated to 
unite the people m one, and to bring them back to the unity 
and faith of those who obeyed the Gospel anciently, and 
finally to bring them back to glory 5 228 

We have not in our society an aristocratic circle 
Whether a brother wears a coon skin cap or a fine beaver 
hat is all the same to us. If a person is a faithful servant 
of God we do not object to his coming to meeting, though 
he has only a piece of buffalo skin to wear on his head. We 
partake of the Sacrament with him, hail him m the street as 
a brother and a friend, converse with him, meet with him in 
social parties and greet him as an equal 9 -188. 

We have been gathered from many nations, and speak 
many languages , we have been ruled by different national- 
ities, and educated m different religions, yet we dwell to- 
gether in Utah under one government, believe in the same 
God and worship him in the same way, and we are all one 
in Christ Jesus The world wonder at this, and fear the 
union that prevails among this, as they are called, singular 
people. Why is this ? It is because the Spirit of the Lord 
Almighty is in the people, and they follow its dictates, and 



438 DISCOUSSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

they hearken to the truth, and live by it, this unites them 
in one, and causeth them to dwell together in peace 11 :124 

I will give you a text Except I am one with my good 
brethren, do not say that I am a Latter-day Saint We 
must be one. Our faith must be concentrated in one great 
work — the building up of the Kingdom of God on the earth, 
and our works must aim at the accomplishment of that 
great purpose. 7 ,280. 

We have come here to build up Zion How shall we 
do u° I have told you a great many times. There is one 
thing I will say in regard to it We have got to be united 
m our efforts We should go to work with a united faith 
like the heart of one man , and whatever we do should be 
performed in the name of the Lord, and we will then be 
blessed and prospered in all we do. We have a work on 
hand whose magnitude can hardly be told 13 155. 

Now, besides being our duty to pray, it is our duty to 
live in peace with one another It is also our duty to love 
the Gospel and the spirit of the Gospel, so that we can 
become one in the Lord, not out of him, that our faith, our 
affections for the truth, the kingdom of heaven, our acts, 
all our labor will be concentrated in the salvation of the 
children of men, and the establishment of the Kingdom of 
God on the earth This is co-operation on a very large 
scale This is the work of redemption that is entered into 
by the Latter-day Saints Unitedly we perform these duties, 
we stand, we endure, we increase and multiply, we 
strengthen and spread abroad, and shall continue so to do 
until the kingdoms of this world are the kingdoms of our 
God and his Christ 15.63 

To Saint and sinner, believer and unbeliever, I wish here 
to offer one word of advice and counsel, by revealing the 



UNITY AND CO-OPERATION 439 

mystery that abides with this people called Latter-day 
Saints , it is the Spirit of the living God that leads them; 
it is the Spirit of the Almighty that binds them together, 
it is the influence of the Holy Ghost that makes them love 
each other like little children ; it is the Spirit of Jesus Christ 
that makes them willing to lay down their lives for the cause 
of Truth ; and it was that same Spirit that caused Joseph, 
our martyred Prophet, to lay down his life for the testimony 
of what the Lord revealed to him This mystery, the great 
mystery of "Mormonism," is, that the Spirit of the Lord 
binds the hearts of the people together. Let the world look 
at it M45. 

If we will live so that Christ can make us one through 
our obedience, where are wars and contentions ? All will 
cease Where is the spirit of bickering? There will be no 
more of it 14.209. 

The religion of heaven unites the hearts of the people 
and makes them one. You may gather a people together, 
and no matter how widely they differ in politics, the Gos- 
pel of Jesus Christ will make them one, even if among them 
were found members of all the political parties in the coun- 
try If members of all these various organizations were 
to obey the Gospel and gather together, the religion of 
heaven would clear their hearts of all political rubbish and 
make them one in voting for principles and measures, in- 
stead of men, and I think that any religion that will not 
do this is very feeble in its effects. 14 159 

Advantage of Temporal Unity — Would you like to live 
at ease and get rich? Would you like to keep your homes 
in this city? I know you would You can do so by being 
one in all things. 11 :278 

I want you to be united. If we should build up and or- 



440 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

ganize a community, we would have to do it on the prin- 
ciple of oneness, and it is one of the simplest things I know 
of. A city of one hundred thousand or a million of people 
could be united into a perfect family, and they would work 
together as beautifully as the different parts of the carding 
machine work- together Why, we could organize millions 
into a family under the Order of Enoch 16 :170. 

I can see no good accruing to this community in main- 
taining a divided interest , our interest must be one through- 
out, in order to produce the good we desire. 

If we will work unitedly, we can work ourselves into 
wealth, health, prosperity and power, and this is required 
of us It is the duty of a Saint of God to gain all the in- 
fluence he can on this earth, and to use every particle of 
that influence to do good If this is not his duty, I do not 
understand what the duty of man is. 12 376. 

If we would work together in our farming, in our 
mechanism, be obedient and work as a family for the good 
of all, it would be almost impossible for anybody to guess 
the success we would have But we have got to do it in the 
Lord. "We must not do it with a covetous heart Always 
be ready and willing that the Lord should have it all, and 
do what he pleases with it. I have asked a favor of the 
Lord in this thing, and that is not to place me in such cir- 
cumstances that what he has given me shall go into the 
hands of our enemies. God forbid that! But let it go for 
the preaching of the Gospel, to sustain and to gather the 
poor, to build factories, make farms, and set the poor to 
work, as I have hundreds and thousands that had not any- 
thing to do. I have fed and clothed them and taken care of 
them until they have become comparatively independent 
I have made no man poor, but thousands and thousands 



UNITY AND CO-OPERATION 441 

rich, that is, the Lord has, through your humble servant 
15.166. 

Suppose there was a union of effort m every political 
and financial matter undertaken for the benefit of the whole 
people, who cannot see the good that would result? We 
have tried this to some extent in relation to our markets 
here, but suppose we were fully agreed on the point, we 
could demand a fair price for our products, and we need 
not be imposed upon by traders and traffickers If we were 
agreed we could supply ourselves from distant markets, say 
with our clothing, at a far less cost than now. 12.35. 

Now the object is to improve the minds of the inhab- 
itants of the earth, until we learn what we are here for, and 
become one before the Lord, that we may rejoice together 
and be equal Not to make all poor, no The whole world 
is before us. The earth is here, and the fulness thereof is 
here. It was made for man ; and one man was not made to 
trample his fellowman under his feet, and enjoy all his 
heart desires, while the thousands suffer We will take 
a moral view, a political view, and we see the inequality 
that exists in the human family. We take the inhabitants 
of the civilized world, and how many laboring men are there 
m proportion to the inhabitants ? About one to every five 
that are producers, and the supposition is that ten hours 1 
work by the one to three persons in the twenty-four hours 
will support the five. It is an unequal condition to man- 
kind We see servants that labor early and late, and that 
have not the opportunity of measuring their hours ten in 
twenty-four. They cannot go to school, nor hardly get 
clothing to go to meeting in on the Sabbath I have seen 
many cases of this kind in Europe, when the young lady 
would have to take her clothing on a Saturday night and 



442 - DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

wash it, in order that she might go to meeting on the Sun- 
day with a clean dress on Who is she laboring for? For 
those who, many of them, are living m luxury. And, to 
serve the classes that are living on them, the poor, labor- 
ing men and women are toiling, working their lives out 
to earn that which will keep a little life within them Is 
this equality ? No. What is going to be done ? The Lat- 
ter-day Saints will never accomplish their mission until this 
inequality shall cease on the earth. 19 .46. 

Unity Does Not Mean Individual Uniformity — How 
could you ever get a people equal with regard to their pos- 
sessions ? They never can be, no more than they can be in 
the appearance of their faces. 4 29 

We never shall become one to that extent that we shall 
look alike or possess precisely the same mental power and 
ability ; this is not the design of heaven. But we expect to 
become one m all our operations to bring forth the fulness 
of the Kingdom of God on the earth, that Jesus may come 
and reign King of nations as he does King of Saints. Shall 
we call this a union for political purposes? I say it is good 
policy for people to be of one heart and mmd in all their 
operations. 12 *35. 

The Co-operative Movement — This co-operative move- 
ment is only a stepping stone to what is called the Order 
of Enoch, but which is in reality the Order of Heaven It 
was revealed to Enoch when he built up his city and gath- 
ered the people together and sanctified them, so that they 
became so holy and pure that they could not live among 
the rest of the people and the Lord took them away, 13 :2 

Now, I will tell you the facts about this movement We 
started the co-operative system here when we thought we 
would wait no longer, we opened the Wholesale Co-oper- 



UNITY AND CO-OPERATION 443 

ative Store, and since that, retail stores have been estab- 
lished, although some of the latter were opened before the 
wholesale store was opened. I know this, that as soon as 
this movement was commenced the price of goods came 
down from twenty to thirty percent. I recollect very well, 
after our vote last October Conference, that it was soon 
buzzed around, "Why you can get calico down street at 
eighteen and seventeen cents a yard ," and it came down to 
sixteen. But when it came down to sixteen cents, who had 
a chance to buy any ? Why, nobody unless it was just a few 
yards that were sold to them as a' favor. But when it came 
to the Wholesale Co-operative Store the price was put at 
sixteen cents, and retail stores are selling it today at seven- 
teen and a half or eighteen cents a yard. 12 373 

What I have in my mind with regard to this co-operative 
business is this : There are very few people who cannot get 
twenty-five dollars to put into one of th^se co-operative 
stores. There are hundreds and thousands of women who, 
by prudence and industry, can obtain this sum. And we 
say to you put your capital into one of these stores What 
for? To bring you interest for your money. Put your time 
and talents to usury. We have the parable before us. If we 
have one, two, three or five talents, of what advantage will 
they be if we wrap them in a napkin and lay them away? 
None at all Put them out to usury. These co-operative 
stores are instituted to give the poor a little advantage as 
well as the rich. 

Brethren, if you will start here and operate together in 
farming, in making cheese, in herding sheep and cattle and 
every other kind of work, and get a factory here and co- 
operative store — I have been told there is no co-operative 
store here — get a good co-operative store, and operate to- 



444 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

gether in sheep-raising, store-keeping, manufacturing and 
everything else, no matter what it is, by-and-by, when we 
can plant ourselves upon a foundation that we cannot be 
broken up, we shall then proceed to arrange a family organ- 
ization for which we are not yet quite prepared. You know, 
right here in this place, commence to carry on your busi- 
ness in a co-operative capacity In every instance I could 
show every one of you what a great advantage would be 
gained in working together, I could reason it out here 
just how much advantage there is in co-operation in your 
lumbering and in your herding You have men here, I sup- 
pose, who have had an arm shot off; they cannot go into 
the canyons and get out wood. Another, perhaps, has had 
a leg cut off; he cannot run here and there like some of 
you, but he can do something; he will make a first-rate 
shopman, and at keeping books, perhaps, he will be one of 
the best He cannot take the scythe and mow ; he cannot 
attend to a threshing machine; he cannot go into the woods 
lumbering; he could not herd well,— but he could go into 
the factory, and he can do many things. Well, we can do 
this and keep up co-operation. I can take fifty men who 
have not a cent, and if they would do as I would wish them 
to do, they would soon be worth their thousands, every one 
of them. 16*169. 

I am prepared to prove to any sensible congregation, any 
good philosopher or thinking person or people, who have 
steady brain and nerve to look at things as they are, that 
can tell white from black and daylight from midnight dark- 
ness, that the closer the connection in a business point of 
view that a community hold themselves together, the 
greater will be their joy and wealth I am prepared to 
prove, from all the facts that have existed or that now exist 



UNITY AND CO-OPERATION 445 

in all branches of human affairs, that union is strength, and 
that division is weakness and confusion. 13 :267. 

If the people called Latter-day Saints do not become 
one in temporal things, as they are in spiritual things, they 
will not redeem and build up the Zion of God upon the 
earth. This co-operative movement is a stepping stone. 
We say to the people, take advantage of it, it is your priv- 
ilege. Instead of giving it into the hands of a few individ- 
uals to make their hundreds and thousands, let the people 
generally, enjoy the benefit arising ijom the sale of mer- 
chandise. I have already told you that this will stop the 
operations of many little traders, but it will make them pro- 
ducers as well as consumers. You will find that if the peo- 
ple unitedly hearken to the counsel that is given them, it 
will not be long before the hats, caps, bonnets, boots and 
shoes, pants, coats, vests and underclothing of this entire 
community will all be made in our midst. 13 -3. 



CHAPTER XXVI 
THRIFT AND INDUSTRY 

Faith and Works — They who secure eternal life are 
doers of the word as well as hearers. 14:37. 

The grand difficulty with the people is they do not do 
quite as well as they know how; it is that which hinders 
us from accomplishing the work given us to do. 19 :220. 

Unless you improve upon it, every correct principle ad- 
vanced through the authority of the holy Priesthood be- 
comes to you a dead letter. But if you have the life within 
you, you will grow, whether you stay at home or come to 
meeting; and every true principle, power, and manifesta- 
tion that God gives you, you will improve upon and treas- 
ure up in your hearts. 8 :120. 

Know whether you ought to do a thing or not, and if 
you ought not, let it alone. That is the way to live. 14:161. 

Time Should Be Spent Wisely — What have we? Our 
time. Spend it as you will. Time is given to you ; and when 
this is spent to the best possible advantage for promoting 
truth upon the earth, it is placed to our account, and blessed 
are you ; but when we spend our time in idleness and folly 
it will be placed against us. 19 .75. 

We have to give an account of the days we spend in 
folly. 19-75. 

Idleness and wastefulness are not according to the rules 
of heaven. Preserve all you can, that you may have abund- 
ance to bless your friends and your enemies. 14:44. 

Do those things that are necessary to be done and let 
those alone that are not necessary, and we shall accom- 
plish more than we do now. 3 :160. 



THRIFT AND INDUSTRY 447 

Of the time that is allotted to man here on the earth 
there is none to lose or to run to waste After suitable 
rest and relaxation there is not a day, hour or minute that 
we should spend m idleness, but every minute of every day 
of our lives we should strive to improve our minds and to 
increase the faith ol the holy Gospel, m chanty, patience, 
and good works, that we may grow in the knowledge of 
the truth as it is spoken and prophesied of and written 
about. 13 310, 

I told them that we brought nothing but knowledge to 
direct them in their labors and to teach them how to employ 
their time This is the greatest wealth we possess — to 
know how to direct our labors rightly, spending every hour 
advantageously for the benefit of our wives and children 
and neighbors 12 .172. 

Labor Indispensable — Is not the upbuilding of the King- 
dom of God on earth a temporal labor all the time? It will 
be built up by physical force and means, by manual labor 
more than by any particular mental effort of the mind. 
3-122 

Everything connected with building up Zion requires 
actual, severe labor. It is nonsense to talk about building 
up any kingdom except by labor; it requires the labor of 
every part of our organization, whether it be mental, 
physical, or spiritual, and that is the only way to build u£ 
the Kingdom of God. 3 .122. 

If we are to build up the Kingdom of God, or establish 
Zion upon the earth, we have to labor with our hands, plan 
with our minds, and devise ways and means to accomplish 
that object. 3:51. 

You count me out fifty, a hundred, five hundred, or a 
thousand of the poorest men and women you can find in 



448 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

this community, with the means that I have in my pos- 
session, I will take these ten, fifty, hundred, five hundred, 
or a thousand people, and put them to labor; but only 
enough to benefit their health and to make their food and 
sleep sweet unto them, and in ten years I will make that 
community wealthy. In ten years I will put six, a hundred, 
or a thousand individuals, whom we have to support now 
by donations, in a position not only to support themselves, 
but they shall be wealthy, shall ride in their carriages, have 
fine houses to live in, orchards to go to, flocks and herds 
and everything to make them comfortable 14-88. 

As was observed this morning, m a wholesome, lovely, 
excellent discourse, we will have to go to work and get the 
gold out of the mountains to lay down, if we ever walk in 
streets paved with gold The angels that now walk in their 
golden streets, and they have the tree of life within their 
paradise, had to obtain that gold and put it there. When 
we have streets paved with gold, we will have placed it 
there ourselves When we enjoy a Zion in its beauty and 
glory, it will be when we have built it If we enjoy the 
Zion that we now anticipate, it will be after we redeem and 
prepare it If we live in the city of the New Jerusalem, it 
will be because we lay the foundation and build it. If we 
do not as individuals complete that work, we shall lay the 
foundation for our children and our children's children, as 
Adam has If we are to be saved in an ark, as Noah and 
his family were, it will be because we build it If the Gos- 
pel is preached to the nations, it is because the Elders of 
Israel m their poverty, without purse or scrip, preach the 
Gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth 8 :354~55. 

My faith does not lead me to think the Lord will pro- 
vide us with roast pigs, bread already buttered, etc.; he 



THRIFT AND INDUSTRY 449 

will give us the ability to raise the grain, to obtain the 
fruits of the earth, to make habitations, to procure a few 
boards to make a box, and when harvest comes, giving us 
the grain, it is for us to preserve it— to save the wheat un- 
til we have one, two, five, or seven years' provisions on 
hand, until there is enough of the staff of life saved by the 
people to bread themselves and those who will come here 
seeking for safety. 10:293. 

Let Nothing Go To Waste — Take things calm and easy, 
pick up everything, let nothing go to waste 14 88. 

Never let anything go to waste. Be prudent, save 
everything, and what you get more than you can take care 
of yourselves, ask your neighbors to help you consume 
1-250. 

Never consider that you have bread enough around you 
to suffer your children to waste a crust or a crumb of it 
If a man is worth millions of bushels of wheat and corn, 
he is not wealthy enough to suffer his servant girl to sweep 
a single kernel of it into the fire ; let it be eaten by some- 
thing and pass again into the earth, and thus fulfil the pur- 
pose for which it grew. Remember it, do not waste any- 
thing, but take care of everything. 1 253. 

There is not a family in this city, where there are two, 
three, four, or five persons, but what can save enough from 
their table, from the waste made by the children, and what 
must be swept in the fire and out of the door, to make pork 
sufficient to last them through the year, or at least all they 
should eat. 4:314. 

Go to the poorest family in this community, and I will 
venture to say that they waste rags enough every year to 
buy the school books that are needed for their children, and 
do even more. 16:16. 



450 DISCOURSES OF BIUGHAM YOUNG 

If you wish to get nch, save what you get. A fool can 
earn money, but it takes a wise man to save and dispose of 
it to his own advantage 11 301. 

It is to our advantage to take good care of the blessings 
God bestows upon us ; if we pursue the opposite course, wc 
cut off the powei and glory God designs we should inherit 
It is through our own carefulness, frugality, and judgment 
which God has given us, that we are enabled to preserve 
our gram, our flocks and herds, wives and children, houses 
and lands, and increase them around us, continually gain- 
ing power and influence for ourselves as individuals and 
for the Kingdom of God as a whole 9*171. 

You may see some little girls around the streets here 
with their mothers' skirts on, or their sun bonnets, and 
with their aprons full of dirt. Your husbands buy you 
calico, but you do not know what to do with it. It is to be 
carefully worn until the last thread is worn out, and then 
put into the rag bag to make paper with 4.319. 

It is good policy and economy to sustain each other. 
12:63. 

Use just enough of your earnings to make your bodies 
and your families happy and comfortable, and save the 
residue 9:295 

We Must be a Self-Sustaining People— We want you 
henceforth to be a self-sustaining people* Hear it, Israel f 
hear it, neighbors, friends and enemies, this is what the 
Lord requires of this people. 12:285 

Ye Latter-day Saints, learn to sustain yourselves, pro- 
duce everything you need to eat, drink or wear ; and if you 
cannot obtain all you wish for today, learn to do without 
that which you cannot purchase and pay for, and bring 



THRIFT AND INDUSTRY 451 

your minds- into subjection that you must and will live 
within your means. 12 :231. 

Who are deserving of praise? The persons who take 
care of themselves or the ones who always trust in the great 
mercies of the Lord to take care of them? It is just as con- 
sistent to expect that the Lord will supply us with fruit 
when we do not plant the trees , or that when we do not 
plow and sow and are saved the labor of harvesting, we 
should cry to the Lord to save us from want, as to ask him 
to save us from the consequences of our own folly, disobedi- 
ence and waste 12 243-244. 

Implicit faith and confidence m God is for you and me 
to do everything we can to sustain and preserve ourselves , 
and the community that works together, heart and hand, to 
accomplish this, their efforts will be like the efforts of one 
man, 4:25, 

Brethren, learn You have learned a good deal, it is 
true; but learn more; learn to sustain yourselves; lay up 
gram and flour, and save it against a day of scarcity. Sis- 
ters, do not ask your husbands to sell the last bushel of 
grain you have to buy something for you out of the stores, 
but aid your husbands in storing it up against a day of 
want, and always have a year's, or two, provision on hand 
12 204 

Instead of searching after what the Lord is going to 
do for us, let us inquire what we can do for ourselves. 9.172. 

The first revelation given to Adam was of a temporal 
nature Most of the revelations he received pertained to 
his life here. That was also the case in the revelations to 
Noah We have but very few of the instructions the Lord 
gave to Enoch, concerning his city , but, doubtless, most of 
the revelations he received pertained to a temporal nature 



452 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

and condition. And certainly the revelations Noah re- 
ceived, so far as in our possession, almost exclusively per- 
tained to this life The same principle was carried out in 
the days of Moses, and in the days of his fathers, Abraham, 
Isaac, and Jacob We may say that eight or nine-tenths of 
the doctrines and principles set forth m the revelations 
given to those men were of a temporal nature 

As soon as Moses was called upon to go and deliver 
Israel, the revelations the Lord gave to him were of a tem- 
poral nature, pertaining to the temporal life of the children 
of Israel—instructing Moses how to deliver them from 
bondage and lead them from the servile slate in which they 
then were He taught them m the same manner while they 
were traveling through the wilderness ; and so it continued 
down to the days of the judges, and then to Saul, whom 
the Lord permitted them to make a king, and then through 
the teachings of the Prophets 6*170 

Whatever the Latter-day Saints have gained has been 
obtained by sheer wrestling and unconquerable resolution. 
13-93. 

As an instance, we have men who quarry rock out of the 
mountains; and we would say to those men, can you go 
and quarry rock without the suitable instruments? Says 
one, "I must have so many picks and wedges, and I must 
have so many drills of different sizes, and so many sledges 
and hammers " Another man says, 'I am going to make 
the tools; I have the ability, and I will make the instru- 
ments from the ore in the mountain " You remember what 
Nephi did When he came to the sea, and prepared to build 
his barge, the Lord showed him the ore, and Nephi made 
the tools with which he formed his barge. He did not have 
to go back to Jerusalem to get tools. I would like to see a 



THRIFT AND INDUSTRY 4-53 

little more of that skill displayed here than I do at the pres- 
ent time. I am using this comparison to show that we, in 
our poverty, have this work to do 8 "354 

The Elements of Wealth are Around Us— I say to my 
brethren and sisters, come let us learn how to gather around 
us from the elements an abundance of every comfort of 
life, and convert them to our wants and happiness. Let us 
not remain ignorant, with the ignorant, but let us show the 
ignorant how to be wise. 10 :6. 

The Lord has done his share of the work; he has sur- 
rounded us with the elements containing wheat, meat, flax, 
wool, silk, fruit, and everything with which to build up, 
beautify and glorify the Zion of the last days, and it is our 
business to mould these elements to our wants and neces- 
sities, according to the knowledge we now have and the 
wisdom we can obtain from the heavens through our faith- 
fulness. In this way will the Lord bring again Zion upon 
the earth, and in no other. 9 :283. 

While we have a rich soil in this valley, and seed to put 
m the ground, we need not ask God to feed us, nor follow 
us round with a loaf of bread begging of us to eat it. He 
will not do it, neither would I, were I the Lord We can 
feed ourselves here; and if we are ever placed in circum- 
stances where we cannot, it will then be time enough for 
the Lord to work a miracle to sustain us. 1 :108. 

It is our duty to be active and diligent in doing every- 
thing we can to sustain ourselves, to build up his King- 
dom, to defend ourselves against our enemies, to lay our 
plans wisely, and to prosecute every method that can be 
devised to establish the Kingdom of God on the earth, and 
to sanctify and prepare ourselves to dwell in his presence 
Yet, after all this, if the Lord should not help— if he should 



454 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHA3J YOUNG 

not lend his aid to our endeavors, all our labors will prove 
In vain. 2 279-280. 

This world is before us The gold, silver and precious 
stones are in the mountains, in the rivers, in the plains, in 
the sands and m the waters, they all belong to this world, 
and you and I belong to this world Is there enough to make 
each of us a finger ring 7 Certainly there is. Is there enough 
to make us a breast pin ? Certainly theie is Is there 
enough to make jewelry for the ladies to set their diamonds 
and precious stones m ? Certainly there is. Is there 
enough to make the silver plate, the spoons, platters, plates 
and knives and forks ? There is There is plenty of it in the 
earth for all these purposes Then what on earth are you 
and I quarrelling about it for ? Go to work systematically 
and take it from the mountains, and put it to the use that 
we want it, without contending against each other, and 
filching the pockets of each other. The world is full of it. 
If it goes fiom my pocket it is still in the world, it still be- 
longs to this little ball, this little speck in God's creation, 
so small that from the sun I expect you would have to have 
a telescope that would magnify it many times to see it; 
and from any of the fixed stars I do not expect that it has 
ever been seen, only by the celestials — mortals could not 
see this earth at that distance. And here people are con- 
tending, quarrelling, seeking how to get the advantage of 
each other, and how to gtt all the wealth there is in the 
world; wanting to rule nations, wanting to be president, 
king or ruler. What would they do if they were? Most 
of them would make everybody around them miserable, 
that is what they would do. There are very few men on 
the earth who try to make people happy. Occasionally 
there have been emperors and monarchs who have made 



THRIFT AND INDUSTRY 455 

their people happy but they have been very rare But sup- 
pose we go to work to gather up all that there is m the 
bosom and upon the surface o£ our mother earth and bring 
it into use, is there any lack? There is not, there is enough 
for all. Then do look at these things as they are, Latter- 
day Saints, and you who are not Latter-day Saints, look 
at things as they are. And I do hope and pray for your 
sakes, outsiders, and for the sakes of those who profess to 
be Latter-day Saints, that we shall have good peace for a 
time here, so that we can build our furnaces, open our 
mines, make our railroads, till the soil, follow our mercan- 
tile business uninterrupted ; that we may attend to the busi- 
ness of beautifying the earth 15,19. 

Agriculture — The increase of our children, and their 
growing up to maturity, increases our responsibilities. More 
land must be brought into cultivation to supply their wants 
This will press the necessity of digging canals to guide the 
waters of our large streams over the immense tracts of 
bench and bottom lands which now he waste. We want 
our children to remain near us, where there is an abundance 
of land and water, and not go hundreds of miles away to 
seek homes In these great public improvements the peo- 
ple should enter with heart and soul, and freely invest in 
them their surplus property and means, and thus prepare 
to locate the vast multitudes of our children which are 
growing up, and strengthen our hands, and solidify still 
more— make still more compact our present organized 
spiritual and national institutions. 11:116 

You have a living off an. acre and a quarter of land. 
Such a little farm well tilled and well managed, and the 
products of it economically applied, will do wonders to- 
wards keeping and educating a small family. Let the little 



456 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

children do their part, when they are not engaged in their 
studies, in knitting- their stockings and mittens, braiding 
straw for their hats, or spinning yarn for their frocks and 
underclothing If this people would strictly observe these 
simple principles of economy, they would soon become so 
rich that they would not have room sufficient to hold their 
abundance ; their store-houses would run over with fulness 
11 142. 

Now, cultivate your farms and gardens well, and drive 
your stock to where they can live through the winter, if 
you have not feed for them. Do not keep so many cattle, 
or, in other words, more than you can well provide for and 
make profitable to yourselves and to the Kingdom of God 
We have hundreds and thousands of fat cattle upon the 
ranges, and yet we have no beef to eat, or very little. Kill 
your cattle when they are fat, and salt down the meat, that 
you may have meat to eat in the winter and some to dis- 
pose of to your neighbors for their labor to extend your 
improvements Lay up your meat, and not let it die on 
your hands. Such a course is not right. Cattle are made 
for our use, let us take care of them 11 142. 

I intend to plant and sow, not only in the month of May, 
but in the month of June, and in the month of July, and I 
will continue my labors to raise what is necessary to sus- 
tain life, as long as the season lasts 2 k 280. 

Let groves of olive trees be planted, and vineyards of 
the most approved varieties of grapes, and let sweet po- 
tatoes be raised m abundance, and all trees and roots that 
bear fruit in the ground and above the ground that can be 
used as food for man and beast, that plenty may flow in 
the land like a river, and contentment be enthroned in every 



THRIFT AND INDUSTRY 457 

household, while industry, frugality, and peace prevail ev- 
erywhere 10.227. 

Instead of people being poor, we already have too much, 
unless we take better care of it I heard a man who is liv- 
ing in this city — one who has always been well off — state 
that he used to keep twelve cows when he first came here, 
and was often nearly destitute of milk and butter. After a 
few years, the number of his cows was reduced to six, and 
he said that the six did him more good than the twelve had 
done In two years more, they were reduced to two, and 
the two cows have done him much more good than the 
twelve or the six did, for they could be and were more 
properly attended to. 4:317, 

Everything which we use to feed the life of man or 
beast, not a gram of it should be permitted to go to waste, 
but should be made to pass through the stomach of some 
animal; everything, also, which will fertilize our gardens 
and our fields should be sedulously saved and wisely hus- 
banded, that nothing may be lost which contains the ele- 
ments of food and raiment for man and sustenance for 
beast. 11 130. 

Save your hay; save your chaff; save your straw, save 
your wheat; save your oats; save your barley, and every- 
thing that can be saved and preserved against a day of 
want 12.241. 

Wives, go into the garden and raise the salad and 
numerous other articles within your judgment and strength 
Who hindered you from making a little vinegar last year? 
People are frequently running round and asking, "Where 
can I buy some vinegar?" When I was keeping a house, 
if my neighbors had a million hogsheads of vinegar, I had 
no need to buy a spoonful of it, for I would make a plenty 



458 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

for my own use, and would have eggs, butter, and pork, 
of my own production, and manage to secure beef, and salt 
it away nicely, and we had all the essentials for comfortable 
diet 4 318. 

What hinders you from raising something to feed a 
cow? Nothing Who hinders you from planting your gar- 
den with corn, and having the suckers and the fodder 7 Who 
hinders you from raising carrots, parsnips, etc , to feed a 
cow with through the winter ? This you can do on a little 
more than a quarter of an acre, but will you do it? 4:317 

The riches of a kingdom or nation do not consist so 
much in the fulness of its treasury as m the fertility of its 
soil and the industry of its people. 10 266 

Our wants are many, but our real necessities are very 
few. Let us govern our wants by our necessities, and we 
shall find that we are not compelled to spend our money 
for naught Let us save our money to enter and pay for 
our land, to buy flocks of sheep and improve them, and to 
buy machinery and start more woolen factories. 12 289. 

We are not anxious to obtain gold, if we can obtain it 
by raising potatoes and wheat, all right "Can't you make 
yourselves rich by speculating ? " We do not wish to 
"Can't you make yourselves rich by going to the gold 
mines?" We are right in -the midst of them "Why don't 
you dig the gold from the earth?" Because it demoralizes 
any community or nation on the earth to give them gold 
and silver to their hearts' content, it will rum any nation. 
But give them iron and coal, good hard work, plenty to 
eat, good schools and good doctrine, and it will make them 
a healthy, wealthy and happy people. 13 -176 

Purchase cows, for if we have not already supplied you 
with cows, we are able and willing to do so Most, if not 



THRIFT AND INDUSTRY 459 

all, have already been furnished with cows What did you 
do with the calves ? "We sold them for a trifle " Why did 
you not raise them? Do you not know that they would 
very soon be valuable? No, but you waste your calves. 
neglect buying pigs, and live without milk, and many of 
the easily procured comforts of life 4 315 

The time will come that gold will hold no comparison 
in value to a bushel of wheat. 1 250 

When a farmer has done with his ploughs, he should 
put them under shelter until they are again wanted When 
harness is taken off, it should be so hung up that you can 
go at any time of night and find it, or a saddle, bridle, 
saddle-blanket, or any other trapping, and be ready at once 
8-296 

Manufacturing — I pray the Lord to hedge up the way 
and shut down the gate so, that we may be compelled to de- 
pend upon our own manufacturing for the comforts of life 
7 67 

Also raise flax, and prepare it for the women to manu- 
facture into summer clothing 4 316 

Save your wool, and send it to the factory If we want 
a little cotton cloth, we can raise it in the southern country , 
and we could raise some here as well as in some other 
places. We can raise about two gatherings 19:73. 

I want them to save their wool and to keep it in this 
Territory. If we have not factories sufficient to work up 
all the wool that grows in this Territory, and in these 
mountains, we will send and get more machinery, and build 
more factories, and work up the wool for the people. 15:159. 

Go and build a tannery, that the hides that come off our 
beef cattle, can be made into leather, 19 73 

We want glass, Some man will come along, by and by, 



460 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

and take the quartz rock, rig- up a little furnace and make 
glass 9.31. 

By-and-by some man will come along, not worth fifty 
dollars, and take the feldspar, which enters so largely into 
our granite rock, and make the best of chmaware. 9 31 

Dye-stuffs have opened another drain through which 
considerable of our money has passed off Wherever In- 
dian corn will flourish madder can be produced in great 
quantities, yet we have been paying out our money to 
strangers for this article. Indigo can be successfully and 
profitably raised in this region 10.226 

Importing sugar has been a great dram upon our float- 
ing currency. I am satisfied that it is altogether unneces- 
sary to purchase sugar in a foreign market. The sorghum 
is a profitable crop, in Great Salt Lake and the adjoining 
counties, for the manufacture of molasses; in this section 
it can be profitably raised for the manufacture of sugar. I 
have tasted samples of sugar produced from the sorghum 
raised in the south of Utah, and a better quality of raw 
sugar I never saw Let some enterprising persons prose- 
cute this branch of home-production, and thus effectually 
stop another outlet for our money. Sugar ranks high 
among the staples of life, and should be produced in great 
abundance 10 226. 

Go to and raise silk You can do it, and those who can- 
not set themselves to work we will set them to work gath- 
ering straw, and making straw hats and straw bonnets ; we 
will set others to gathering willow, and others to making 
baskets, we will set others to gathering flags and rushes, 
and to making mats, and bottoming chairs and making 
carpets. 12 -202 

As I told the people, when we first came into this valley 



THRIFT AND INDUSTRY 461 

in 1847, there is plenty of silk in the elements here, as much 
30 as in any other part of the earth. 9 .32. 

The capitalists may say, 'What are we to do with our 
means?" Go and build factories and have one, two, or 
three thousand spindles going. Send for fifty, a hundred, 
or a thousand sheep and raise wool. Some of you go to rais- 
ing flax and build a factory to manufacture it, and do not 
take every advantage and pocket every dollar that is to be 
made. You are rich and I want to turn the stream so as to 
do good to the whole community. 13 :36. 

Commerce — It may be said that we shall always be poor 
without commerce ; we shall always be poor with it, unless 
we command it; and unless we can do this, we are better 
without it. 11 :134. 

But, again, with regaid to this railroad; when it is 
through, even in ordinary times it opens to us the market, 
and we are at the door of New York, right at the threshold 
of the Emporium of the United States. We can send our 
butter, eggs, cheese, and fruits and receive in return oysters, 
clams, cod fish, mackerel, oranges, and lemons. Let me 
say more to you — do up your peaches in the best style, for 
they will want them. 12:54. 

Whatsoever administers to the sustenance, comfort and 
health of mankind forms the basis of the commerce of the 
world. Gold and silver in coin are only valuable as mediums 
to facilitate exchange. They can be made useful to us and 
add to our comfort when made into cups, plates, etc., in our 
household economy. 10:227. 

Recollect that in trading there is great advantage in 
turning over your capital often. 13 :35. 

Are our merchants honest? I could not be honest and 
do as they do ; they make five hundred percent on some of 



462 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

their goods, and that, too, fiom an innocent, confiding, poor, 
industrious people 11 114. 

Capital and Labor— All the capital there is upon the 
earth is the bone and smew of workingmen and women. 
Were it not for that, the gold and the silver and the prec- 
ious stones would remain m the mountains, upon the plains 
and m the valleys, and never would be gathered or brought 
into use The timber would continue to grow, but none 
of it would be brought into service, and the earth would 
remain as it is; but it is the activity and labor of the in- 
habitants of the earth that bring forth the wealth. Labor 
builds our meeting-houses, temples, court houses, fine halls 
for music and fine school houses, it is labor that teaches 
our children, and makes them acquainted with the various 
branches of education, that makes them proficient in their 
own language and in other languages, and m every branch 
of knowledge understood by the children of men ; and all 
this enhances the wealth and the glory and the comfort of 
any people on the earth, 16 .66, 

We say to the Latter-day Saints, work for these capital- 
ists, and work honestly and faithfully, and they will pay you 
faithfully I am acquainted with a good many of them, and 
as far as I know them, I do not know but every one is an 
honorable man They are capitalists, they want to make 
money, and they want to make it honestly and according 
to the principles of honest dealing. If they have means and 
are determined to risk it in opening mines you work for 
them by the day. Haul their ores, build their furnaces and 
take your pay for it, and enter your lands, build houses, 
improve your farms, buy your stock, and make yourselves 
better off. 14 85. 

There are many in the city of New York who never 



THRIFT AND INDUSTRY 463 

went to school a day in their lives ; they are wallowing in 
the gutter, ragged, dirty, and filthy They learn sharpness, 
it is true, but where do they sleep ? By the wayside, or 
crawl into some old building— girls and boys, and live there 
by the thousand. They have not a shelter to place their 
heads under, but when night comes their only refuge is old 
buildings, hovels, and corners of streets foisaken by the 
police, and there they must spend the night. Why not take 
such characters and bring them out to this country, or to 
California, Oregon, or to the plains of Illinois, Wis- 
consin, etc., and make a town, settle up the country, and 
make these poor, miserable creatures better off? You would 
prove yourselves worthy of existence on the earth if you 
would. 14.84. 

To pay people the wages they want here would prevent 
us from raising silk profitably. We look forward to the 
period when the price of labor here will be brought to a 
reasonable and judicious standard 12 202 

Time and the ability to labor are the capital stock of 
the whole world of mankind, and we are all indebted to 
God for the ability to use time to advantage, and he will 
require of us a strict account of the disposition we make of 
this ability; and he will not only require an account of our 
acts, but our words and thoughts will also be brought into 
judgment. 18 *73. 

A young woman, compelled to labor for her daily bread, 
applies for work to some lady in comfortable circumstances 
The lady perhaps says, "What wages do you want?" "I 
do not know. What will you give me?" The reply is, prob- 
ably, "Well, I will give you fifty cents a week and your 
board, but I shall want you to do my washing, ironing, 
milking, scrubbing, and cooking," the whole of it, most 



464 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

likely, keeping the poor girl at work from five o'clock in the 
morning until ten at night Yet her poverty leaves her no 
choice, and she is compelled to become a slave in order to 
procure, day by day, her breakfast, dinner, and supper. It 
is probable that if her father be alive he is too poor to help 
her , and if she has a mother she may be a widow and un- 
able to rescue her from a life of toil and slavery. A lady, 
whom I knew in my youth, the wife of a minister, where I 
used to attend meeting, said once to some of her sisters in 
the church, "Do you suppose that we shall be under the 
necessity of eating with our hired help when we get into 
heaven? We do not do it here, and I have an idea that 
there will be two tables in heaven." Yet she was a lady 
of refinement and education, still the traditions that had 
been woven into her very being proved the folly she pos- 
sessed to ask such a question. 14.99 

Let mechanics and every man who has capital create 
business and give employment and means into the hands 
of laborers, build good and commodious houses, magnifi- 
cent temples, spacious tabernacles, lofty halls, and every 
other kind of structure that will give character and grandeur 
to our cities and create respect for our people. Let us make 
mechanics of our boys, and educate them in every useful 
branch of science and in the history and laws of kingdoms 
and nations, that they may be fitted to fill any station in 
life, from a ploughman to a philosopher. 10.270. 

The non-producer must live on the products of those 
who Tabor There is no other way If we all labor a few 
hours a day, we could then spend the remainder of our time 
in rest and the improvement of our minds. This would 
give an opportunity to the children to be educated in the 



THRIFT AND INDUSTRY 465 

learning of the day, and to possess all the wisdom of man 
19:47. 

Do not oppress the poor, but trust in God, and you 
will go neither hungry, naked, nor thirsty. If you oppress 
the poor, the day will come when you will be naked, thirsty, 
and hungry, and will not be able to get anything to supply 
your wants. 8 :73. 

Build Good Houses and Beautiful Cities— Let the peo- 
ple build good houses, plant good vineyards and orchards, 
make good roads, build beautiful cities in which may be 
found magnificent edifices for the convenience of the pub- 
lic, handsome streets skirted with shade trees, fountains 
of water, crystal streams, and every tree, shrub and flower 
that will flourish in this climate, to make our mountain 
home a paradise and our hearts wells of gratitude to the 
God of Joseph, enjoying it all with thankful hearts, saying 
constantly, "not mine but thy will be done, Father." 
10:3. 

Beautify your gardens, your houses, your farms ; beau- 
tify the city. This will make us happy, and produce plenty. 
The earth is a good earth, the elements are good if we will 
use them for our own benefit, in truth and righteousness. 
Then let us be content, and go to with our mights to make 
ourselves healthy, wealthy, and beautiful, and preserve 
ourselves in the best possible manner, and live just as long 
as we can, and do all the good we can 15 £0. 

Every improvement that we make not only adds to our 
comfort but to our wealth. 16:64. 

Make good houses; learn how to build; become good 
mechanics and business men, that you may know how to 
build a house, a barn, or a store-house, how to make a farm, 
and how to raise stock, and take every care of it by pro- 



466 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

viding proper shelter and every suitable convenience for 
keeping it through the winter, and prove yourselves worthy 
of the greater riches that will be committed to you than 
this valley and what it can produce. 8 '289. 

Accumulate Property— Efforts to accumulate property 
in the correct channel are far from being an injury to any 
community, on the contrary they are highly beneficial, pro- 
vided individuals, with all that they have, always hold 
themselves in readiness to advance the interests of the 
Kingdom of God on the earth. Let every man and woman 
be industrious, prudent, and economical in their -acts and 
feelings, and while gathering to themselves, let each one 
strive to identify his or her interests with the interests of 
this community, with those of their neighbor and neighbor- 
hood, let them seek their happiness and welfare m that of 
all, and we will be blessed and prospered. 3 '330 

To do right can be reduced to perfect simplicity in a 
few words, viz., from this time henceforth, let no person 
work, or transact any kind of business whatever, that he 
cannot do in the name of the Lord 1 337. 

This life is worth as much as any life that any being 
can possess in time or in eternity There is no life more 
precious to us m the eye of eternal wisdom and justice than 
the life which we now possess Our first duty is to take 
care of this life 11:113. 

To be prudent and saving, and to use the elements in 
our possession for our benefit and the benefit of our fellow 
beings is wise and righteous, but to be slothful, wasteful, 
lazy and indolent, to spend our time and means for naught, 
is unrighteous. 16:16. 

We all believe that the Lord will fight our battles; but 
how? Will he do it while we are unconcerned and make 



THRIFT AND INDUSTRY 467 

no effort whatever for our own safety when an enemy is 
upon us? If we make no efforts to guard our towns, our 
houses, our cities, our wives and children, will the Lord 
guard them for us ? He will not ; but if we pursue the oppo- 
site course and strive to help him to accomplish his designs, 
then will he fight our battles. We are baptized for the re- 
mission of sins ; but it would be quite as reasonable to ex- 
pect remission of sins without baptism, as to expect the 
Lord to fight our battles without our taking every pre- 
caution to be prepared to defend ourselves. The Lord re- 
quires us to be quite as willing to fight our own battles as 
to have him fight them for us. If we are not ready for an 
enemy when he comes upon us, we have not lived up to 
the requirements of him who guides the ship of Zion, or 
who dictates the affairs of his Kingdom. 11 :131. 

Debt— Pay your debts, we will help you to do so, but 
do not run into debt any more. 14:105. 

Be prompt in everything, and especially to pay your 
debts. 14:279. 

A man who will run into debt, when he has no prospect 
of paying it back again, does not understand the principles 
that should prevail in a well regulated community, or he is 
wilfully dishonest. 11:258. 

A man who will not pay his honest debts is no Latter- 
day Saint, if he has the means to pay them. 11 :258. 

It is bad enough, quite bad enough, to borrow from an 
enemy and not to repay him; to do this is beneath the char- 
acter of any human being; but all who will borrow from a 
friend, and especially from the poor, are undeserving the 
fellowship of the Saints if they do not repay. 14:276. 



CHAPTER XXVII 
WEALTH 

Wealth Belongs to the Lord— Earthly riches are con- 
cealed in the elements God has given to man, and the 
essence of wealth is power to organize from these elements 
every comfort and convenience of life for our sustenance 
here, and for eternal existence hereafter. The possession 
of all the gold and silver in the world would not satisfy the 
cravings of the immortal soul of man. The gift of the 
Holy "Spirit of the Lord alone can* produce a good, whole- 
some, contented mind Instead of looking for gold and 
silver, look to the heavens and try to learn wisdom until 
you can organize the native elements for your benefit; 
then, and not until then, will you begin to possess the true 
riches. 10 :35. 

There is 'any amount of property, and gold and silver 
in the earth and on the earth, and the Lord gives to this 
one and that one — the wicked as well as the righteous — to 
see what they will do with it, but it all belongs to him. He 
has handed over a goodly portion to this people, and, 
through our faith, patience and industry, we have made 
us good, comfortable homes here, and there are many who 
are tolerably well off, and if they were in many parts of 
the world they would be called wealthy. But it is not ours, 
and all we have. to do is to try and find out what the Lord 
wants us to do with what we have in our possession, and 
then go and do it. If we step beyond this, or to the right or 
to the left, we step into an illegitimate train of business. 
Our legitimate business is to do what the Lord wants us 
to do with that which he bestows upon us, and dispose of 



WEALTH 4Gy 

it just as he dictates, whether it is to give all, one-tenth, or 
the surplus. 16:10. 

No person on the earth can truly call anything his own, 
and never will until he has passed the ordeals we are all 
now passing, and has received his body again in a glorious 
resurrection, to be crowned by him who will be ordained 
and set apart to set a crown upon our heads. Then will be 
given to us that which we now only seem to own, and we 
will be forever one with the Father and the Son, and not 
until then. 9:106. 

The elements are to be brought into shape and operation 
for the benefit, happiness, beauty, excellency, glory, and 
exaltation of the children of men that dwell upon the earth. 
9:242. 

Uncertainty of Temporal Possessions — Do you not know 
that the possession of your property is like a shadow, or the 
dew of the morning before the noonday sun, that you can- 
not have any assurance of its control for a single moment! 
It is the unseen hand of Providence that controls it. 1 -114. 

We cannot trust to the certainty of mortal possessions ; 
they are transitory, and a dependence upon them will 
plunge into hopeless disappointment all those who trust in 
them. 2:122. 

We should find that the things of this world called 
riches, are in reality not riches. We should find they are 
like mirages to the ignorant, mere phenomena to the inhab- 
itants of the earth ; to-day they are, to-morrow they are not ; 
they were, but now they are gone, it is not known where. 
The earthly king upon his throne, who reigns triumphantly 
over his subjects, is blasted, with all m'3 kingdom, and 
brought to naught at one breath of him who possesses true 
riches. Let him who possesses the true riches say to the 



470 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

elements around that kingdom, "produce no wheat, nor oil, 
nor wine, but let there be a famine upon that people," in 
such a circumstance where is the wealth of that king, his 
power, his grandeur, and his crown ? There is no bread, no 
oil, there are no flocks, no herds, for they have perished 
upon the plains, his wheat is blasted, and all his crops are 
mildewed. What good does his wealth do him? His sub- 
jects are lying all around him lifeless for want of bread ; he 
may cry to them, but in vain; his wealth, power, and in- 
fluence have vanished, they are swept away like the flimsy 
fabric of a cobweb. 1 "266. 

The Sin of Covetousness— How the Devil will play with 
a man who so worships gain! 10.174. 

I am more afraid of covetousness in our Elders than I 
am of the hordes of hell 5 353. 

Those who are covetous and greedy, anxious to grasp 
the whole world, are all the time uneasy, and are constantly 
laying their plans and contriving how to obtain this, that, 
and the other 3.119. 

Men are greedy for the vain things of this world. In 
their hearts they are covetous. It is true that the things 
of this world are designed to make us comfortable, and they 
make some people as happy as they can be here ; but riches 
can never make the Latter-day Saints happy. Riches of 
themselves cannot produce permanent happiness; only the 
Spirit that comes from above can do that 7*135. 

When I cast my eyes upon the inhabitants of the earth 
and see the weakness, and I may say, the height of folly in 
the hearts of the kings, rulers, and the great, and those who 
should be wise and good and noble, when I see them 
grovelling m the dust ; longing, craving, desiring, contend- 
ing for the things of this life, I think, foolish men, to set 



WEALTH 



471 



your hearts on the things of this life ! To-day they are seek- 
ing after the honors and glories of the world, and by the 
time the sun is hidden by the western mountains the breath 
is gone out of their nostrils, they sink to their mother earth 
Where are their riches then? Gone forever. As Job says, 
"Naked I came into the world." Destitute and forlorn, they 
have to travel a path that is untried and unknown to them, 
and wend their way into the spirit world They know not 
where they are going nor for what. The designs of the 
Creator are hidden from their eyes, darkness, ignorance, 
mourning and groaning take hold of them and they pass 
into eternity. And this is the end of them concerning this 
life as far as they know A man or a woman, who places 
the wealth of this world and the things of time in the scales 
against the things of God and the wisdom of eternity, has 
no eyes to see, no ears to hear, no heart to understand, 
What are riches for? For blessings, to do good Then let 
us dispense that which the Lord gives us to the best pos- 
sible use for the building up of his Kingdom, for the pro- 
-motion of the truth on the earth, that we may see and en- 
joy the blessings of the Zion of God here upon this earth 
I look around among the world of mankind and see them 
grabbing, scrambling, contending, and every one seeking 
to aggrandize himself, and to accomplish his own individ- 
ual purposes, passing the community by, walking upon the 
heads of his neighbors— all are seeking, planning, contriv- 
ing in their wakeful hours, and when asleep dreaming, 
"How can I get the advantage of my neighbor? How can 
I spoil him, that I may ascend the ladder of fame?" This 
is entirely a mistaken idea. You see that nobleman seeking 
the benefit of all around him, trying to bring, we will say, 
his servants, if you please, his tenants, to his knowledge, to 



472 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

like blessings that he enjoys, to dispense his wisdom and 
talent among" them and to make them equal with himself. 
As they ascend and increase, so does he, and he is in the 
advance. All eyes are upon that king or that nobleman, 
and the feelings of those around him are, "God bless him I 
How I love him! How I delight in him! He seeks to 
bless and to fill me with joy, to crown my labors with suc- 
cess, to give me comfort, that I may enjoy the world as 
well as himself." But the man who seeks honor and glory 
at the expense of his fellow-men is not worthy of the society 
of the intelligent. 15 :18. 

I hope to see the day when there will be no such thing 
as one man taking usury from another. 13 -92. 

True Riches— There is no such thing as a man being 
truly rich until he has power over death, hell, the grave, 
and him that hath the power of death, which is the Devil. 
For what are the riches, the wealth possessed by the in- 
habitants of the earth? Why, they are a phantom, a mere 
shadow, a bubble on the wave, that bursts with the least 
breath of air. Suppose I possessed millions on millions of 
wealth of every description I could think of or ask for, and 
I took a sudden pain in my head, which threw me entirely 
out of my mind, and baffled the skill of the most eminent 
physicians, what good would that money do me, in the ab- 
sence of the power to say to that pain, "Depart"? But sup- 
pose I possessed power to say to the pain, "Go thou to the 
land from whence thou comest;" and say, "Come, health, 
and give strength to my body;" and when I want death, to 
say, ''Come you, for I have claim upon you, a right, a war- 
ranty deed, for this body must be dissolved " says death, "I 
want it, to prey upon;" but again I can say to death, "De- 
part from me, thou canst not touch me;" would I not be 



WEALTH 473 

rich indeed? How is it now? Let the slightest accident 
come upon one of the human family, and they are no more. 
Do we then possess true riches in this state? We do not. 
1:271. 

To possess this world's goods is not in reality wealth, 
it is not riches, it is nothing more nor less than that which 
is common to all men, to the just and the unjust, to the 
Saint and to the sinner. The sun rises upon the evil and 
the good ; the Lord sends his rain upon the just and upon 
the unjust; this is manifest before our eyes, and in our 
daily experience. Old King Solomon, the wise man, says, 
the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, 
neither riches to men of wisdom. The truth of this saying 
comes within our daily observation. Those whom we con- 
sider swift are 'not always the ones that gain the mastery 
in the race, but those who are considered not so fleet, or 
not fleet at all, often gain the prize. It is, I may say, the 
unseen hand of Providence, that over-ruling power that con- 
trols the destinies of men and nations, that so ordains these 
things. The weak, trembling, and feeble, are the ones fre- 
quently who gain the battle ; and the ignorant, foolish, and 
unwise will blunder into wealth. This is all before us, it 
is the common lot of man; in short, I may say, it is the 
philosophical providence of a philosophical world. 1 :267. 

Gold is Not Wealth— What use is gold when you get 
enough to eat, drink, and wear without it? 1 :250. 

There is no happiness in gold, not the least. It is very 
convenient as an article of exchange, in purchasing what 
we' need; and instead of finding comfort and happiness in 
gold, you exchange it to obtain happiness, or that which 
may conduce to it There is no real wealth in gold. People 
talk about being wealthy — about being rich ; but place the 



474 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

richest banking company in the world upon a barren rock, 
with their gold piled around them, with no possible chance 
of exchanging it, and destitute of the creature comforts, 
and they would-be poor indeed. Where then is their joy, 
their comfort, their great wealth ? They have none 8 :168 

True wealth consists in the skill to produce conveni- 
ences and comforts from the elements. All the power 
and dignity that wealth can bestow is a mere shadow, the 
substance is found m the bone and sinew of the toiling 
millions Well directed labor is the true power that sup- 
plies our wants. It gives regal giandeur to potentates, 
education and supplies to religious and political ministers, 
and supplies the wants of the thousands of millions of 
earth's sons and daughters. There are conditions and 
panics m society that all the power of earthly wealth can- 
not avert. 10 189. 

It has been supposed that wealth gives power. In a 
depraved state of society, in a certain sense it does, if open- 
ing a wide field for unrighteous monopolies, by which the 
poor are robbed and oppressed and the wealthy are more 
enriched, is power In a depraved state of society money 
can buy positions and titles, can cover up a multitude of 
incapabilities, can open wide the gates of fashionable society 
to the lowest and most depraved of human beings, it di- 
vides society into castes without any reference to goodness, 
virtue or truth It is made to pander to the most brutal 
passions of the human soul; it is made to subvert every 
wholesome law of God and man, and to trample down every 
sacred bond that should tie society together in a national, 
municipal, domestic and every other relationship. Wealth 
thus used is used out of its legitimate channel. 10:3 

How to Become Wealthy — When men act upon the 



WEALTH 475 

principles which will secure to them eternal salvation, they 
are sure of obtaining all their hearts' desire, sooner or later ; 
if it does not come today, it may come tomorrow ; if it does 
not come in this time, it will in the next. 2 :122. 

I am not for hoarding up gold and other property to lie 
useless, I wish to put everything to a good use. I never 
keep a dollar lying idly by me, for I wish all the means to 
be put into active operation. 3 :160. 

I can witness one fact, and so can others, that by paying 
attention to the building up of the Kingdom of God alone 
we have got rich in the things of this world; and if any 
man can tell how we can get rich in any other way, he can 
do more than I can. We leave our business and our fam- 
ilies and go out to preach the peaceable things of the King- 
dom, and pay attention to that, never thinking of our busi- 
ness or our families, except when we ask the Lord to bless 
our families in common with all the families of the Saints 
everywhere. 11:116. 

Do you want wealth? If you do, do not be in a hurry. 
Do you want the riches pertaining to this world? Yes, we 
acknowledge we do. Then, be calm, contented, composed ; 
keep your pulses correct, do not let them get up to a hun- 
dred and twenty, but keep them as high as you can, rang- 
ing from seventy to seventy-six; and when there is an 
appointment for a meeting be sure to attend that meeting. 
If there is to be a two-days' meeting, come to it; spend 
the time here and learn what is going on. Watch closely, 
hear every word that is ^spoken, let every heart be lifted 
to God for wisdom, and know and understand every word 
of prophecy, every revelation that may be given, every 
counsel that may be presented to the people, that you may 
be able to weigh, measure, comprehend and decide between 



476 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOI7STG 

that which is of God and that which is not of God Refuse 
the evil, learn wisdom, and grow in grace and in the knowl- 
edge of the truth 15 :3S. 

The course pursued by men of business in the world has 
a tendency to make a few rich, and to sink the masses of 
the people in poverty and degradation. 11 348. 

This is the counsel I have for the Latter-day Saints to- 
day Stop, do not be in a hurry. I do not know that I 
could find a man in our community but what wishes wealth, 
would like to have everything m his possession that would 
conduce to his comfort and convenience. Do you know 
how to get it? "Well," replies one, "if I do not, I wish I 
did; but I do not seem to be exactly fortunate— fortune is 
somewhat against me." I will tell you ,the reason of this— 
you are in too much of a hurry ; you do not go to meeting 
enough, you do not pray enough, you do not read the Scrip- 
tures enough, you do not meditate enough, you are all the 
time on the wing, and in such a hurry that you do not know 
what to do first This is not the way to get rich. I merely 
use the term "rich" to lead the mind along, until we obtain 
eternal riches in the celestial kingdom of God. Here we 
wish for riches in a comparative sense, we wish for the 
comforts of life. If we desire them let us take a course to 
get them. Let me reduce this to a simple saying— one of 
the most simple and homely that can be used— "Keep your 
dish right side up," so that when the shower of porridge 
does come, you can catch your dish full. 15 36. 

These are a few words of consolation to the brethren 
who wish to keep their riches, and with them I promise 
you leanness of soul, darkness of mind, narrow and con- 
tracted hearts, and the bowels of your compassion will be 
shut up, and by and by you will be overcome with the spirit 



WEALTH 477 

of apostasy and forsake your God and your brethren. 12:127. 

My policy is to get rich; I am a miser in eternal things. 
Do I want to become rich in the things of this earth? Yes, 
if the Lord wishes me to have such riches, and I can use 
them to good advantage. My policy is to keep every man, 
woman, and child busily employed, that they may have no 
idle time for hatching mischief in the night, and for mak- 
ing plans to accomplish their own ruin. 2 :144. 

I told you the other day what makes me rich, it is the 
labor of those whom I feed and clothe ; still I do not feel 
that I have a dollar in the world that is my own, it is the 
Lord's and he has made me a steward over it ; and if I can 
know where the Lord is pleased to have it appropria'ted, 
there it shall go. 3ill8. 

One-third or one-fourth of the time that is spent to pro- 
cure a living would be sufficient, if your labor were rightly 
directed. People think they are going to get rich by hard 
work — by working sixteen hours out of the twenty-four, 
but it is not so A great many of our brethren can hardly 
spend time to go to meeting. Six days is more time than 
we need to labor. 8 :355. 

The great majority of men and women do not know how 
to take care of themselves. Let me refer the whole of you 
to a circumstance in Winter Quarters. We left Nauvoo in 
February, 1846, made our own roads through Iowa, except 
some 40 or 50 miles, built bridges, cut down timber, turned 
out 500 men to go to Mexico, came this side of the Missouri 
river, and there wintered. How did you live there? Do 
you know how you got anything to eat? Brethren came 
to me, saying, "We must go to Missouri. Can we not take 
our families and go to Missouri and get work?" Do you 
know, to this day, how you lived? I will tell you, and then 



478 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

you will remember it I had not five dollars m money to 
stait with, but I went to work and built a mill, which I 
knew we should want only for a few months, that cost 
3,600 dollars I gave notice that I would employ every man 
and pay him for his labor. If I had a sixpence, I turned it 
into 25 cents; and a half-bushel of potatoes I turned into 
half-a-bushel of wheat How did I do that ? By faith I 
went to Brother Neff, who had just come in the place, and 
asked him for and received 2,600 dollars, though he did not 
know where the money was going He kept the mill 
another year, and it died on his hands I say, God bless 
him forever! for it was the money he brought from Penn- 
sylvania that preserved thousands of men, women, and chil- 
dren from staiving. I handled and dictated it, and every- 
thing went off smoothly and prosperously. 6 :173. 

Shall I give you my ideas in brief with regard to business 
and business transactions? Here for instance, a merchant 
comes to our neighborhood with a stock of goods; he sells 
them at from two to ten hundred per cent, above what 
they cost. As a matter of course he soon becomes wealthy, 
and after a time he will be called a millionaire, when per- 
haps he was not worth a dollar when he commenced to 
trade. You will hear many say of such person, what a 
nice man he is, and what a great financier he is! My 
feeling of such a man is, he is a great cheat, a deceiver, a 
liar' He imposes on the people, he takes that which does 
not belong to him, and is a living monument of falsehood 
Such a man is not a financier! The financier is he that 
brings the lumber from the canyons and shapes it for the 
use of his fellowman, employing mechanics and laborers to 
produce from the elements and the crude material every- 
thing necessary for the sustenance and comfort of man, 



WEALTH 479 

one who builds tanneries to work up the hides instead of 
letting them rot and waste or be sent out of the country to 
be made into leather and then brought back in the shape of 
boots and shoes; and that can take the wool, the furs and 
straw and convert the same into cloth, into hats and bon- 
nets, and that will plant out mulberry trees and raise the 
silk, and thus give employment to men, women and chil- 
dren, as you have commenced to do here, bringing the 
elements into successful use for the benefit of man, and 
reclaiming a barren wilderness, converting it into a fruit- 
ful field, making it to blossom as the rose; such a man I 
would call a financier, a benefactor of his fellow man. But 
the great majority of men who have amassed great wealth 
have done it at the expense of their fellows. 19 :97. 

Wealth Must Be Used— Few men know what to do with 
riches when they possess them. 1 :250. 

You know very well that it is against my doctrine and 
feelings for men to scrape together the wealth of the world 
and let it waste and do no good. 9:186. 

Then do not hoard up your gold; if you do, it will 
canker, but put out every dollar to usury. Instead of your 
souls being bound up in your cattle and other property, put 
it all where it should be placed for the benefit of the 
Kingdom of God on earth and for his glory. 9:191. 

A man has no right with property, which, according to 
the laws of the land, legally belongs to him, if he does not 
want to use it; he o'ught to possess no more than he can 
put to usury, and cause to do good to himself and his 
fellowman. When will a man accumulate money enough 
to justify him in salting it down, or, in other words, laying 
it away in the chest, to lock it *up, there to lie, doing no 
manner of good either to himself or his neighbor. It is 



480 discourses or brigham young 

impossible for a man ever to do it No man should keep 
money or property by him that he cannot put to usury for 
the advancement of that property m value or amount, and 
for the good of the community in which he lives, if he 
does, it becomes a dead weight upon him. Every man who 
has got cattle, money, or wealth of any description, bone 
and sinew, should put it out to usury. If a man has the 
arm, body, head, the component parts of a system to con- 
stitute him a laboring man, and has nothing in the world to 
depend upon but his hands, let him put them to usury 
Never hide up anything in a napkin, but put it forth to 
bring an increase* If you have got property of any kind, 
that you do not know what to do with, lay it out in making 
a farm, or building a saw mill or a woolen factory, and go 
to with your mights to put all your property to usury 

If you have more oxen and other cattle than you need, 
put them in the hands of other men, and receive their labor 
in return, and put that labor where it will increase your 
property value. 1 252 

If a man comes in the midst of this people with money, 
let him use it m beautifying his inheritance in Zion, and in 
increasing his capital by thus putting out his money to 
usury. Let him go and make a great farm, and stock it 
well, and fortify all around with a good and efficient fence 
What for? Why for the purpose of spending his money 
Then let him cut it up into fields, and adorn it with trees, 
and build a fine house upoh it What for? Why for the 
purpose of spending his money What will he do when 
his money is gone ? The money thus spent, with a wise 
and prudent hand, is in a situation to accumulate and in- 
crease a hundred-fold When he has done making his farm, 
and his means still increase by his diligent use of it, he can 



WEALTH 481 

then commence and build a woolen factory for instance, 
he can send and buy the sheep and have them brought here, 
and have them herded here, and shear them here, and take 
care of them, then set the boys and girls to cleaning, card- 
ing, spinning, and weaving the wool into cloth, and thus 
employ hundreds and thousands of the brethren and sisters 
who have come from the manufacturing districts of the old 
country, and have not been accustomed to dig in the earth 
for their livelihood, who have not learned anything else but 
to work in the factory. This would feed them and clothe 
them, and put within their reach the comforts of life; it 
would also create at home a steady market for the produce 
of the agriculturist, and the labor of the mechanic. 1 :253. 

Wealth Brings Happiness Only When Used for the 
Gospel— All the real business we have on hand is to pro- 
mote our religion. 4:355. 

If you come naked and barefooted (I would not care if 
you had naught but a deer skin around you when you 
arrive here), and bring your God and your religion, you are 
a thousand times better than if you come with wagon loads 
of silver and gold and left your God behind 4:204. 

If, by industrious habits and honorable dealings, you 
obtain thousands or millions, little or much, it is your duty 
to use all that is put in your possession, as judiciously as 
you have knowledge, to build up the Kingdom of God on 
the earth. 4:29. 

If we are destroyed through the possession of wealth, 
it will be because we destroy ourselves. If we possessed 
hundreds of millions of coin, and devoted that means to 
building up the Kingdom of God and doing good to his 
creatures, with an eye single to his glory, we would be as 
much blessed and, as much entitled to salvation as the poor 



482 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

beggar that begs from door to door, the faithful rich man 
is as much entitled to the revelations of Jesus Christ as is 
the faithful poor man 10 300 

We must watch and pray, and look well to our walk and 
conversation, and live near to our God, that the love of this 
world may not choke the piecious seed of tiuth, and feel 
teady, if necessary, to offer up all things, even life itself, 
for the Kingdom of Heaven's sake. 11.111. 

Look out, ye men of Isi ael, and be careful that you love 
not the world or the things of the world in their present 
state, and in your loftiness and pride, forget the Lord your 
God. We ought to care no more for the silver and the 
gold, and the property that is so much sought for by the 
wicked world, than for the soil or the gravel upon which 
we tread. 11 .18. 

I do not care what becomes of the things of this world, 
of the gold, of the silver, of the houses and of the lands, 
so we have power to gather the House of Israel, redeem 
Zion, and establish the Kingdom of God on the earth. I 
would not give a cent for all the rest. True, these things 
which the Lord bestows upon us are for our comfort, for 
our happiness and convenience, but everything must be de- 
voted to the upbuilding of the Kingdom of God on the 
earth. 3 :361. 

It is thought by many that the possession of gold and sil- 
ver will produce for them happiness, and, hence, thousands 
hunt the mountains for the precious metals; in this they 
are mistaken. The possession of wealth alone does not 
produce happiness, although it will produce comfort, when 
it can be exchanged for the essentials and luxuries of life 
When wealth is obtained by purloining, or in any other 
unfair and dishonorable way, fear of detection and punish- 



WEALTH 483 

merit robs the possessor of all human happiness. When 
wealth is honorably obtained by man, still the possession o* 
it is embittered by the thought that death will soon strip 
them of it and others will possess it What hopes have they 
m the future, after they get through with this sorrowful 
world ? They know nothing about the future; they see 
nothing but death and hell. Solid comfort and unalloyed 
joy are unknown to them. 11 15. 

Men and women who are trying to make themselves 
happy in the possession of wealth or power will miss it, 
for nothing short of the Gospel of the Son of God can make 
the inhabitants of the earth happy, and prepare them to 
enjoy heaven here and hereafter 11 *329 

It matters little, though we have many times left our 
houses and other possessions, having been driven from 
them by our enemies; for the earth is the Lord's and the 
fulness thereof; the gold and the silver they are taking 
from the earth are all in his hands to dispose of at his 
pleasure He sets up kingdoms and casts them down at 
his pleasure The fulness of the earth is in his hands, but 
it cannot be enjoyed, in the full sense of the term, with- 
out enjoying it in connection with his Kingdom. 8 '161-2. 

Though I possessed millions of money and property, 
that does not excuse me from performing the labor that it 
is my calling to perform, so far as I have strength and abil- 
ity, any more than the poorest man in the community is 
excused. The more we are blessed with means, the more 
we are blessed with responsibility ; the more we are blessed 
with wisdom and ability, the more we are placed under 
the necessity of using that wisdom and ability in the spread 
of righteousness, the subjugation of sin and misery, and the 
amelioration of the condition of mankind. The man that 



484 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

has only one talent and the man that has five talents have 
responsibility accordingly If we have a world of means, 
we have a world of responsibility. If we have an eternity 
of knowledge, we shall have an eternity of business to 
transact and to occupy every particle of the knowledge 
bestowed 'upon us 9 172. 

Some Dangers of Wealth— The question will not arise 
with the Lord, nor with the messengers of the Almighty, 
how much wealth a man has got, but how has he come by 
this wealth and what will he do with it ? 11 '294 

If the Lord ever revealed anything to me, he has shown 
me that the Elders of Israel must let speculation alone and 
attend to the duties of their calling, otherwise they will 
have little or no power in their missions or upon their 
return. 8 179 

The Latter-day Saints who turn their attention to 
money-making soon become cold in their feelings toward 
the ordinances of the house of God. They neglect their 
prayers, become unwilling to pay any donations, the law of 
tithing gets too great a task for them, and they finally 
forsake their God, and the providences of heaven seem tc 
be shut from them— all in consequence of this lust after the 
things of this world, which will certainly perish in handling, 
and in their use they will fade away and go from us. 18 213 

If I had only seen in my young days an interest mani- 
fested by those who had wealth, power and influence to 
reach down a hand to take the suffering, ignorant poor and 
elevate them to the standard they occupied, and to place 
them in possession of every comfort, it would have been a 
matter of great joy to me. But it was not so then, neither 
is it now. Men generally use their wealth for selfish pur- 



WEALTH 485 

poses, and do not seek to devote it to God and to the glory 
of his name. 13 :147. 

Do not be anxious to have this people become rich, and 
possess the affection of the world. I have been fearful lest 
we come to fellowship the world. 10:298. 

Some say, "If we had a gold mine, we would do well." 
If I knew where there was a gold mine, I would not tell 
you. I do not want you to find one, and I do not mean that 
you shall ; or, if you do, it shall be over my faith. We have 
gold enough in the world, and it is all the Lord's, and we 
do not deserve more than we get. Let us make good use 
of that, and send out the Elders. • 8 :204. 

I would as soon see a man worshiping a little god made 
of brass or of wood as to see him worship his property. 
6:196. 

Never pray for riches; do not entertain such a foolish 
thought. In my deep poverty, when I knew not where I 
could procure the next morsel of food for myself and family, 
I have prayed God to open the way that I might get some- 
thing to keep myself and family from dying. Those who 
do more than this are off, more or less, from the track that 
leads to life eternal. 7:138. 

We are the greatest speculators in the world. We have 
the greatest speculation on hand that can be found in all 
the earth, I never denied being a speculator. I never 
denied being a miser, or of, feeling eager for riches ; but 
some men will chase a picayune five thousand miles when 
I would not turn round for it, and yet we are preachers of 
the same Gospel, and brethren in the same Kingdom of 
God. You may consider this is a little strong; but the 
speculation I am after, is to exchange this world, which, 
in its present state, passes away, for a world that is eter- 



486 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

nal and unchangeable, for a glorified world filled with eter- 
nal riches, for the world that is made an inheritance for the 
Gods of eternity. 1 :326 

The Poor—The poor are the people of God, and they 
shall inherit the earth. 8*186 

The Gospel of life and salvation does not reduce those 
who obey it to beggary; but it takes the poor and the igno- 
rant, makes them wise and happy, and surrounds them with 
the comforts of life and everything desirable, and teaches 
them to .serve God with all their hearts 14-121 

If a man comes to me and says he is out of food, what of 
that ? He is out of food ; that is all If a man comes along 
and says, "My family is destitute of food and clothing," 
what of that? Simply that they are destitute of food and 
clothing, and still they may be gentlemen and ladies, for 
all that, and be honoring their tabernacles and being on the 
earth. 

The customs of the world have made it degrading to ask 
for food, but it is not, when a person cannot honestly pro- 
cure it m any other way. The man who is hungry and 
destitute has as good a right to my food as any other per- 
son, and I should feel as happy in associating with him, if 
he had a good heart, as with those who have an abundance, 
or with the princes of the earth They all are esteemed by 
me, not according to the wealth and position they hold, but 
according to the character they have. 3 :245. 

The Lord's poor do not forget their covenants, while 
the Devil's poor pay no regard to their promises. 3 *2. 

What causes poverty among this people? It is the want 
of discretion, calculation, sound judgment I am paying 
men more or less by the day, and where do you see those 
who get the least wages? Seated back in the barber's chair 



WEALTH 487 

three or four times a week. Next at a store to get a box 
of blacking to put upon fifteen dollar boots, if they can 
get them. They must have four or five dollar handker- 
chiefs, as fine things for their wives and children, and as 
much in quantity as any other man has. At the end of the 
year there are two or three hundred dollars on the debit 
side of their accounts. 9 "297. 

Let the poor, those who have to depend upon their 
brethren for bread, after they have done all they can to 
obtain it themselves be thankful, and take no more than 
they require to use in a frugal manner. 3 :375. 

The poor are filled with idolatry as well as the rich, and 
covet the means of those who have helped them; the rich 
also have the same spirit of idolatry, and stick to what they 
have. Let the poor be honest, let the rich be liberal, and 
lay their plans to assist the poor, to build up the Kingdom 
of God, and at the same time enrich themselves, for that 
is the way to build up God's Kingdom. 3 :6. 

Poor men, or poor women, who have nothing, and covet 
that which is not their own, are just as wicked in their 
hearts, as the miserly man who hoards up his gold and 
silver, and will not put it out to use. I wish the poor to 
understand, and act as they 'would wish others to act to- 
wards them in like circumstances. 2 :52. 

If the poor had all the surplus property of the rich many 
of them would waste it on the lusts of the flesh, and destroy 
themselves in using it. For this reason the Lord does not 
require the rich to give all their substance to the poor. It 
is true that when the young man came to Jesus to know 
what he must do to be saved, he told him, finally, "sell all 
that thou hast and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt 
have treasure in heaven, and come, follow me ;" and a great 



488 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

many think that he ,told the young man to give away all 
that he had, but Jesus did not require any such thing, 
neither did he say so, but simply, "distribute to the poor." 
If the poor knew what to do with what they have many, 
yea very many, in this land would have all that is necessary 
to make them comfortable. 13 :302 

If they had the privilege of dictating the affairs of this 
people, or of any other, they would divide the substance of 
the rich among the poor, and make all what they call equal. 
But the question would arise with me at once, how long 
would they remain equal? Make the rich and the poor of 
this community, or of any other, equal by the distribution 
of their earthly substance, and how long would it be before 
a certain portion of them would be calling upon the other 
portion, for something with which to sustain themselves? 
The cry would soon be — "I have no bread, no house, no 
team, no farm ; I have nothing/'* And in a very few years, 
at the most, large properties would thus pass from the 
hands of such individuals, and would be distributed among 
those who know how to accumlate wealth and to preserve 
it when accumulated 12:56. 

It is a disgrace to every man and woman that has sense 
enough to live, not to take care of their own relatives, their 
own poor, and plan for them to do something they are able 
to do. 8:145. 



CHAPTER XXVIII 
MISSIONARY WORK 

The Gospel to be Preached to all Men— The Gospel must 
be preached to the world, that the wicked may be left with- 
out excuse. 4:58. 

It is necessary that all have the privilege of receiving 
or rejecting eternal truth, that they may be prepared to be 
saved, or be prepared to be damned. -7:139. 

Our .Father in Heaven, Jesus, our Elder Brother and 
the Savior of the world, and the whole heavens, are calling 
upon this people to prepare to save the nations of the earth, 
also the millions who have slept without the Gospel. 18:77. 

The Lord has called me to this work, and I feel as 
though I twill do it. We will send the Gospel to the na- 
tions; and when one nation turns us away we will go to 
another and gather up the honest in heart, and the rest we 
care not for until we come On Mount Zion as saviors, to 
attend to the ordinances of the house of God for them. 
8:230-1. 

The Lord has restored the Priesthood in our day for 
the salvation of Israel. Does he design to save anybody 
else? Yes; he will save the House of Esau, and I hope to 
live until I see Mount Zion established, and saviors come 
up to save those poor, miserable beings who are continually 
persecuting lis — all who have not sinned against the Holy 
Ghost. Our labor is to save ourselves, to save the House 
of Israel, to save the House of Esau, and all the Gentile 
nations — every one that can be saved. 7:281. 

This Kingdom or work is proffered to the whole of the 
human family, even to all who will accept it, upon the 
terms of strict obedience to all its ordinances and require- 



490 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

ments, and to its organization of Prophets and Apostles, 
gifts and blessings and graces. 11 :249. 

There are, doubtless, millions of just as honest people 
among the several religious denominations as are amongst 
the professedly Latter-day Saints But they have not the 
Gospel, they are in darkness with regard to the plan of 
salvation, and their teachers are blind guides, totally un- 
able to give the people the living word, the way of life. If 
they live up to the best fight and knowledge they have and 
can get, they are safe, and in a saved condition. What is 
the sin of the ministry and people of the present Christian 
denominations? It is that light has come to them and they 
reject it. The condemnation of the Jewish nation was that 
light had come into the world, but they chose darkness 
rather than light, because their deeds were evil; so says 
the Savior The same Gospel that Jesus taught to those 
who rejected him is entrusted to us to preach to the whole 
world with the same consequences which must reach them 
at some time, m some condition. 17 262. 

I shall be very happy when I can know that the people 
of the East Indian Archipelago, and the people on every 
island and continent, both the high and the low, the igno- 
rant and intelligent, have received the words of eternal life, 
and have had bestowed upon them the power of the eternal 
Priesthood of the Son of God, by which they may become 
truly civilized. 8 7. 

The day will come when the Gospel will be presented to 
the kings and queens and great ones of the earth ; but it 
will be presented with a different influence from that with 
which it has been presented to the poor, but it will be the 
same Gospel We shall not present any other Gospel; it 
is the same from everlasting to everlasting. 13 150. 



MISSIONARY WORK 491 

The Elders have also preached through the different 
nations of Europe so far as they were allowed to do so In 
some countries the law would not permit them; but the 
Lord will yet revolutionize those nations until the door will 
be opened and the Gospel will be preached to all 12 -256 

Had I the choice whether to go to the Saints and 
gather Saints, or to go where the Gospel was preached by 
the ancient Apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ, among the 
children of the people who have formerly had the Gospel 
preached to them, I would engage to go to the States and 
gather one hundred Saints to one that could be gathered 
from among the children of those who heard Peter, Paul, 
and others of the ancient Apostles preach the Gospel. 4.306 

Though the people in the States are daily becoming 
more hardened against the truth, yet if I were in New York 
this day, and it was my business to be there, I would not 
be there long before I would have many Elders preaching 
through different parts of that ctfy; I would have them 
preaching in the English, Danish, French, German, and 
other languages. And soon would have Elders dispersed 
all over the State, and would raise up new friends enough 
to sustain me, that is, if the Lord would help me, and if he 
did not, I would leave 4 :37. 

Help to Save Every Person— What is Babylon? It is 
the confused world • come out of her, then, • and cease to 
partake of her sins, for if you do not you will be partakers 
of her plagues. 12 :282, 

If to all eternity you could praise God, through being 
the means of saving one soul, I may say the least or most 
inferior intelligence 'upon the earth, pertaining to the hu- 
man family,— if you could be the means of saving one such 



492 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

person, how great would be your joy in the heavens ! Then 
let us save many, and our joy will be great in proportion to 
the number of souls we save. Let us destroy none 9 124 

A true servant of God takes more pleasure in saving the 
meanest capacity organized m human form upon the face 
of the earth than a wicked person can in leading hosts 
astray Let a Prophet of God, an Apostle, or any servant 
of the Lord Jesus have the privilege of bringing the very 
smallest degree of organized intelligence up higher and 
higher until it is capable of receiving the intelligence of 
angels, and it will give more' consolation and happiness 
than to lead all the posterity of Adam into a wrong path 
8:59, 

We had better gather nine that are unworthy than to 
neglect the tenth if he is worthy. 15 .18. 

We gather the poorest of the people, the unlearned, and 
a few of the learned; but generally, we gather those who 
are poor, who wish to be redeemed ; who feel the oppression 
the high and the proud have made them endure ; they have 
felt a wish to be delivered, and consequently their ears 
were open to receive the truth. Take those who are m the 
enjoyment of all the luxuries of this life, and their ears are 
stopped up ; they cannot hear. 12 -256. 

And when you are called to preach the Gospel on foreign 
missions, take a course to save every person There is no 
man or woman within the pale of saving grace but that 
is worth saving. There is no intelligent being, except those 
who have sinned against the Holy Ghost, but that is worth, 
I may say, all the life of an Elder to save in the Kingdom 
of God. 9:124 

This people are mostly gathered from what are terme'd 
the laboring and middle classes. We have not gathered 



MISSIONARY WORK 493 

into this Church men that are by the world esteemed pro- 
found in their principles, ideas, and judgment. We have 
none in this Church that are called by them expert states- 
men. How frequently it is cast at the Elders, when they 
are abroad preaching, that Joseph Smith, the founder of 
their Church and religion, was only a poor illiterate boy. 
That used to be advanced as one of the strongest arguments 
that could be produced against the doctrine of salvation, by 
the wise and learned of this world, though it is no argu- 
ment at all. The Lord should have revealed himself to 
some of the learned priests or talented men of the age, say 
they, who could have done some good and borne off the 
Gospel by their influence and learning, and not to a poor, 
ignorant, unlettered youth. Not many wise, not many 
mighty, not many noble, speaking after the manner of men, 
are called; but God hath chosen the foolish things of the 
world to confound the wise, the weak things of the world 
to confound the things that are mighty; and base things 
of the world — things which are despised by the world, hath 
God in his wisdom chosen ; yea, and things which are not, 
to bring to naught things that are, that no flesh should 
glory in his presence. 6:70. 

It is the House of Israel we are after, and we care not 
whether they come from the east, the west, the north, or 
the south; from China, Russia, England, California, North 
or South America, or some other locality ; and it is the very 
lad on whom Father Jacob laid his hands, that will save the 
House of Israel. The Book of Mormon came to Ephrairn, 
for Joseph Smith was a pure Ephraimite. 2 :268. 

If this net does not gather the good and the bad we 
should have no idea that it is the net that Jesus spoke about 
when he said that it should gather of all kinds. 14:78. 



494 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

I may say that this Gospel is to spread to the nations of 
the earth, Israel is to be gathered, Zion redeemed, and the 
land of Joseph, which is the land of Zion, is to be in the 
possession of the Saints, if the Lord Almighty lets me live ; 
and if I go behind the veil somebody else must see to it 
My brethren must bear it off shoulder to shoulder 3 *361 

Words to Departing Missionaries— We wish the breth- 
ren to understand the facts just as they are; that is, there 
is neither man or woman in this Church who is not on a 
mission. That mission will last as long as they live, and 
it is to do good, to promote righteousness, to teach the 
principles of truth, and to prevail upon themselves and 
everybody around them to live those principles that they 
may obtain eternal life. 12:19. 

When I came into this Church, I started right out as a 
missionary, and took a text, and began to travel on a circuit 
Truth is my text, the Gospel of salvation my subject, and 
the world my circuit. 9:137. 

We do not wish a man to enter on a mission, unless his 
soul is in it 2 267. 

The brethren who have been called upon foreign mis- 
sions we expect to respond to the call cheerfully. 4*264. 

Go forth and preach the Gospel, gain an experience, 
learn wisdom, and walk humbly before your God, that you 
may receive the Holy Ghost to guide and direct you, and 
teach you all things past, present, and to come 8 176. 

Go trusting in God, and continue to trust in him, and 
he will open your way and multiply blessings upon you, 
and your souls will be satisfied with his goodness. I can- 
not promise you any good in taking an unrighteous course ; 
your lives must be examples of good works. 8 73. 

I think that the brethren were required to go and preach 



MISSIONARY WORK 495 

"without purse and scrip," and that is what I am now try- 
ing to get them to do— to go "without purse and scrip," 
and not beg the poor Saints to death. Let us support the 
Elders, instead of making the poor do it. , We are able to 
send these men out to preach the Gospel, and they may 
go "without purse or scrip." 8 169. 

I wish the Elders to go forth as I have taught them If 
you have a clean shirt and one to be washed, then be satis- 
fied. If you are clothed so as to be comfortable, be satis- 
fied, and do not let your minds reach out after anything, 
only to preach the Gospel and gather the souls of men. 
That is all the business you have upon your hands— it is 
your whole mission; and trust in God to get home — trust 
in the Lord'to go from place to place, and the way will be 
opened for you 8 185. 

Those who now go forth upon missions will feel more 
of the power of God than they ever had, and will speak as 
men having authority, asking no odds of the wicked. 8.172. 

I would like to impress upon the minds of the brethren, 
that he who goes forth in the name of the Lord, trusting 
in him with all his heart, will never want for wisdom to 
answer any question that is asked him, or to give any 
counsel that may be required to lead the people in the way 
of life and salvation, and he will never be confounded 
worlds without end. Go in the name of the Lord, trust in 
the s name of the # Lord, lean upon the Lord, and call upon 
the Lord fervently and without ceasing, and pay no atten- 
tion to the world. You will see plenty of the world— it 
will be before you 'all the time— but if you live so as to 
possess the Holy Ghost you will be able to understand more 
in relation to it in one day than you could in a dozen days 
without it, and you will at once see the difference between 



496 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

the wisdom of men and the wisdom of God, and you can 
weigh things in the balance and estimate them at their true 
worth. 12:34. 

If the Elders cannot go with clean hands and pure 
hearts, they had better stay here. Do not go thinking, 
when you arrive at the Missouri River, at the Mississippi, 
at the Ohio, or at the Atlantic, that then you will purify 
yourselves ; but start from here with clean hands and pure 
hearts, and be pure from the crown of the head to the 
soles of your feet; then live so every hour. Go m that 
manner, and in that. manner labor, and return again as 
clean as a piece of pure white paper. This is the way to 
go ; and if you do not do that, your hearts will ache 

Will you be liable to fall into temptation and be over- 
taken by sin ? Yes, unless you live so as to have the revela- 
tion of Jesus Christ continually, not only to live in it today 
or while you are preaching, in a prayer meeting, or in a 
conference ; and when you are out of these meetings, when 
you are guaided more particularly by the Spirit, say that 
you can get along without the Holy Ghost. You must have 
it all the time— on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and every 
day through the week, and from year to year, from the 
time you leave home until you return; so that when you 
come back, you may not be afraid if the Lord Almighty 
should come into the midst of the Saints and reveal all the 
acts and doings and designs of your hearts in your missions ; 
but be found clean like a piece of white paper. That is the 
way for the Elders to live in their ministry at home and 
abroad. 6 273-4. 

I want to say for the consolation of the Elders of Israel 
and those who go forth to preside, you need have no trouble 
with regard to the building up of this Kingdom, only do 



MISSIONARY WORK 497 

your duty in the sphere to which you are assigned. 14 79. 

Elders who go forth to proclaim the Gospel, unless they 
do something to clip their faith, or cause them to apostatize 
from their religion, so jthat they are left in the dark, are 
generally on the increase in improvement, grow in grace 
and in knowledge. They are advancing in the principles 
of truth, while the world are receding from the truth they 
once had; consequently, it appears to the Elders, and to 
those who go from the Saints into the world, that it is 
growing wicked faster than it really is, and the Elders do 
not always realize that their advancement in truth pro- 
duces much of the appearance of the great distance between 
them and the world 3 -221-2. 

If those who are going to preach do not go with that 
faith that pertains to eternal life, and that spirit that is like 
a well of water, springing up into everlasting life, their 
labors will be vain They may be the best theoretical theo- 
logians in the world — may be ,able to preach a Bible and 
a half in a sermon, to read history without a book, and 
understand all the dealings with men from the days of 
Adam till now ; and, without the Spirit of the living God 
to guide them, they will not be able to accomplish any- 
thing to their credit towards building up his Kingdom. 
They must realize that success in preaching the Gospel 
springs not from the wisdom of this world. They must so 
live as to enjoy the power of God. 8:70-71. 

Don't carry your wives or your children in your hearts 
or in your affections with you one rod. Dedicate them to 
the Lord God of Israel, and leave them at home , and when 
you are in England, or among other nations, no matter 
where, when you pray for your families, pray for them as 
being in the Great Salt Lake Valley, and do not bring them 



498 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

close to you, as though they were m your carpet-bag, Pray 
for thern where they are You must ieel— if they live, all 
right; if they die, all right, if I die, all right, if I live, all 
right, for we are the Lord's, and we shall soon meet again 
6 276. 

I wish to say to you that are left here, whose husbands 
and fathers are going away for a season— don't cling to 
them one particle, but let them go as cheerfully as you 
would give a weary traveler a cup of cold water. If you 
live, it is all right, and if you fall asleep before they return, 
it is all right Don't send your hearts after them one step, 
nor suffer your spirits to cling to them one moment Then 
you, wives, m very deed will be blessed and be helpmeets 
to your husbands. 6 .276 

Many have such feelings, that they are greater who are 
m the world preaching the Gospel than those who remain 
here. It is a grand mistake. 6 -274. 

Look over the history of the Church of the living God on 
the earth from the days of Adam until now, and I will 
ensure that you cannot find the equal to the excessive labor 
of the Elders of Israel m our day m spreading the Truth 
through the world to save mankind I have no idea that 
it was done in the days of Enoch , for the human family had 
then spread over the earth but little, and the Elders did not 
have to travel scores of thousands of miles without purse 
or scrip among the wicked. So also in the days of Noah ; 
they had but a short distance to travel In the days of the 
Israelites, of the Prophets, of Jesus Christ, and the Apos- 
tles, what was their labor in the extent of its field, com- 
pared with that of this people? Very small. You may 
trace the couise of their travel, and you will find that it 



MISSIONARY WORK 4-99 

was far less than that of the Elders of Israel in our day. 
5:351. 

If you go on a mission to preach the Gospel with light- 
ness and frivolity in your hearts, looking for this and that, 
and to learn what is in the world, and not having your 
minds riveted — yes, I may say riveted — on the cross of 
Christ, you will go and return in vain. Go forth weeping, 
bearing precious seed, full of the power of God, and full of 
faith to heal the sick even by the touch of your hand, re- 
buking and casting out foul spirits, and causing the poor 
among men to rejoice, and you will return bringing your 
sheaves with you. Let your min4s be centered on your 
missions and labor earnestly to bring souls to Christ. 
12:33-34. 

Advice to Missionaries in the Field — The travels and 
labors of the Elders about to go on missions will throw 
them into positions which will cause them to seek unto 
the Lord. They need to live their religion, to go forth with 
pure hearts and clean hands, and then preach the Gospel by 
the power of God sent down from heaven. They should 
touch not and taste not of sin, and when they return they 
should come pure and clean, ready to meet the Saints with 
open countenances 8:178. 

When you reach your respective fields of labor in the 
States, in. England, or elsewhere, do not begin to pull down 
your predecessors So far as their conduct will permit, 
speak of them as your brethren, and as men who have done 
the best they knew how. Testify that you know them to 
be good men, when you know that they have been doing 
according to their best judgment and understanding; and 
do not say hard words about your predecessors in the vine- 
yard. Not one who does this will gain anything by it. 



500 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

Do not discourage, deride, or bring anything against any 
of your predecessors to lessen the character of any one who 
has done the best he knew how. 8.181. 

Gather the Samts, but do not flatter , invite, but do not 
urge, and by no means compel any one 8 72. 

If you have a happy influence with your brethren and 
sisters, preserve it, for it is more choice than fine gold 
How many times have I told the Elders, "When you go 
on missions, be careful to preserve your God-like dignity 
and integrity." 8*346 , 

The Elders who are going abroad should deal out kind- 
ness to those they are sent to watch over, and your smiles 
will be far better than your cursings could be. 8 .74. 

You know that I have said that, if it were now my call- 
ing to go and preach the Gospel, I could make as many 
converts as I ever did; for I would go in such a manner 
that the bitterly prejudiced would have to labor hard to 
find out that I was a; "Mormon" until I had induced them 
to love the truth. Then they would say, "If that is 'Mor- 
monism' I want it." 5 5. 

I wish the Elders of Israel to understand mankind as 
they are — to go to the people and take them as they are. 
9:121. 

I wish you all to understand that no Elders go to any 
place among the world but what the wicked find fault with 
the people of God. 4:78 

Let me now say to my brethren, the Elders of Israel, 
it is always proper to ask kindly and affectionately the peo- 
ple to perform what you wish performed, instead of order- 
ing them to do it. This principle is always good for par- 
ents and teachers to observe. 10*228 

Elders of Israel, learn to be spiritual physicians Carry 



MISSIONARY WORK 501 

the medicine with you to deal out to every patient as he 
needs it. If a patient has chills and fever in his spirit, you 
must carry the medicine to cure it. 9 "125. 

Never suffer yourselves to mingle in any of those recre- 
ations that tend to sin and iniquity, while you are away 
from the body of the Church, where you cannot so fully 
control yourselves. 1 *48. 

I recollect, in England, sending an Elder to Bristol, to 
open a door there, and see if anybody would believe. He 
had a little more than thirty miles to walk; he starts off 
one morning, and arrives at Bristol; he preached the gos- 
pel to them, and sealed them all up to damnation, and was 
back next morning. He was just as good a man, too, as we 
had It was want of knowledge caused him to do so I 
go and preach to the people, and tell them at the end of 
every sermon, He that believeth and is baptized, shall be 
saved ; and he that believeth not, shall be damned. I con- 
tinue preaching there day after day, week after week, and 
month after month, and yet nobody believes my testimony, 
that I know of, and I don't see any signs of it. "What shall 
I do in this case, if I am sent to preach there?" you may 
inquire. You must continue to preach there, until those 
who sent you shall tell you to leave that field of labor ; and 
if the people don't manifest by their works, that they be- 
lieve, as long as they come to hear me, I will continue to 
plead with them until they bend their dispositions to the 
Gospel? Why? Because I must be patient with them, as 
the Lord is patient with me; as the Lord is merciful to me, 
I will be merciful to others ; as he continues to be merciful 
to me, consequently I must continue in long-suffering to be 
merciful to others — patiently waiting, with all diligence, 
until the people will believe, and until they are prepared to 



502 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

become heirs to a celestial kingdom, or angels to the Devil 
3.91. 

In the first place, I want to say to the Elders who go forth 
to preach the Gospel — no matter who may apply to you for 
baptism, even if you have good reason to believe they are 
unworthy, if they require it, forbid them not, but perform 
that duty and administer the ordinance for them , it clears 
the skirts of your garments, and the responsibility is upon 
them U -7& 

The meek and lowly Jesus sent his disciples without 
purse or scrip ; and when the honest in heart see our Eldeis 
go in the same manner that Jesus' disciples did, with the 
doctrine that he delivered to his disciples, and preach with- 
out purse or scnp, our Elders will find plenty of honest- 
hearted persons who will receive their testimony But 
when the Elders go into the great cities, hire large halls 
and hire carriages to ride to their pulpit in, the people say 
it is a speculation, and such Elders do not have much of the 
Spirit of the Lord to preach to the people. 13 .90. 

When you reach your fields of labor, do the best you 
can , and when the enemy comes along and tells you that 
you are somebody, say, "Mr Devil, it is none of your busi- 
ness. What I have spoken is what the Lord gave to me 
I have presented it to the people, and that is all I have to 
do with it." If you cannot preach as nicely and smoothly 
as you wish, and a feeling rises that you cannot preach at 
all — that you had better return home, tell Satan to get 
behind you — that he has no power to dictate whether you 
preach a word or not, for you are in the Lord's service. So 
live that the Spirit of the Lord can instruct your minds at 
all times, and you can then defy the Devil and all his 
emissaries. If you have nothing from the Lord to present 



MISSIONARY WORK 503 

to the people, be as willing to be silent as you would to 
preach what might be termed a splendid discourse. 8:55. 

I do not think there was worse said about the Savior 
and his disciples in ancient days than has been said about 
the people of Utah in modern times. Take no notice of 
this, but attend to the business about which you have been 
sent Tell this generation the truth, and pass along. Do 
not contend or argue much but pass along peaceably and 
preach the first principles of the Gospel. 8 :56. 

If you should have visits here from those professing to 
be Christians, and they intimate a desire to preach to you, 
by all means invite them to do so. Accord to every reput- 
able person who may visit you, and who may wish to occupy 
the stands of your meeting houses to preach to you, the 
privilege of doing so, no matter whether he be a Catholic, 
Presbyterian, Congregationalist, Baptist, Free-will Baptist, 
Methodist, or whatever he may be; and if he wishes to 
speak to your children let him do so. Of course you have 
the power to correct whatever false teachings or im- 
pressions, if any, your children may hear or receive. 14:195, 

When men enjoy the spirit of their missions and realize 
their calling and standing before the Lord and the people, 
it constitutes the happiest portions of their lives. 8 :53. 

Some inquire, "Why cannot we serve God in other 
countries as well as here?" You can just as well in Eng- 
land, in France, in Germany, in Italy, on the islands of the 
sea, in the United States, in California, or anywhere else, 
as you can here. 2 :253. 

The Returned Missionary — Come home with your heads 
up. Keep yourselves clean, from the crowns of your heads 
to the soles of your feet; be pure in heart, — otherwise you 
will return bowed down in spirit and with a fallen coun- 



504 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

tenance, and will feel as though you nevei could rise again. 
8-55. 

I wish to make this request that the Elders who return 
from missions consider themselves just as much on a mis- 
sion here as in England or in any other part of the world 
14 220. 

We frequently call the brethren to go on missions to 
preach the Gospel, and they will go and labor as faithfully 
as men can do, fervent in spirit, in prayer, in laying on 
hands, in preaching to and teaching the people how to be 
saved In a few years they come home, and throwing off 
their coats and hats, they will say, "Religion, stand aside f| 
I am going to work now to get something for myself and 
my family " This is folly m the extreme. When a man 
returns from a mission where he has been preaching the 
Gospel he ought to be just as ready to come to this pulpit 
to preach as if he were in England, France, Germany, or on 
the islands of the sea And when he has been at home a 
week, a month, a year, or ten years, the spirit of preaching 
and the spirit of the Gospel ought to be within him hke a 
river flowing forth to the people in good words, teachings, 
precepts, and examples If this is not the case he does not 
fill his mission. ■ 14.100. 

Do not come from your missions leaving behind you 
people whom you have oppressed, from whom you have 
begged their money. I would work my way there and 
back again, or beg from strangers, before I would take one 
dime from the Samts, unless they of their own free will and 
accord wished to make me presents, and were able to do 
so without distressing themselves True, I have seen the 
'time, and so have many of my brethren, when my heart 
has ached to see men and women go without food day after 



MISSIONARY WORK 505 

day for the sake of feeding me, when I could feed myself; 
but any other course would, not satisfy them. Under such 
circumstances you must humor the people and yield to their 
feelings. 8 :55. 

Those faithful Elders who have testified of this work to 
thousands of people on the continents and islands of the 
seas will see ( the fruits of their labors, whether they have 
said five words or thousands They may not see these 
fruits immediately, and perhaps, in many cases, not until 
the Millennium ; but the savor of their testimony will pass 
down from father to son. 8:142. 

The Gospel is" Preached With Authority— When a man 
who is called and ordained of God goes forth he preaches 
the ordinances, faith in Christ and obedience to him as our 
Savior. He declares that the first step to be taken, after 
believing in the Father and the Son, is to go down into the 
waters of baptism and there be immersed in the water, and 
come up out of the water as Jesus did. Some may inquire 
why the Latter-day Saints are so strenuous on this point? 
We do it for the remission of sins; Jesus did this to fulfil 
all righteousness. 14:96. 

Perhaps some may say that I have too much faith in 
the prophecies of God, in the latter-day work, and in the 
administration of individuals that now live and have lived 
on the earth in our day. Be it so, no matter to me. I am 
here to testify in the name of the God of Israel that for many 
years past there have been men traveling through the length 
and breadth of the earth who possess the same power and 
authority as that with which Jesus endowed his Apostles 
when he told them to go into all the world and "preach the 
Gospel to every creature, and he that believeth and is bap- 
tized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be 



506 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

damned, and these signs shall follow them that believe 
In my name they shall cast out devils, heal the sick, speak 
with new tongues," etc 14-131 

The Spirit, Not Logic or Debate, Makes Converts— Let 
one go forth who is careful to prove logically all he says 
by numerous quotations from the revelations, and let an- 
other travel with him who can say, by the power of the 
Holy Ghost, Thus saith the Lord, and tell what the people 
should believe— what they should do— how they should 
live, and teach them to yield to the pi maples of salvation,— 
though he may not be capable of producing a single logical 
argument, though he may tremble under a sense of his 
weakness, cleaving to the Lord for strength, as such men 
generally do, you will invariably find that the man who 
testifies by the power of the Holy Ghost will convince and 
gather many more of the honest and upright than will the 
merely logical reasoner. 8 53. 

However good and useful a classical education may be 
in the possession of a good and wise man, yet it is not 
essentially necessary for him to have it, to tell the simple 
truth which is given to mankind by the revelations of God, 
because it can be told by the simple and the unlearned 
11-215. 

Debate and argument have not that saving effect that 
has testifying to the truth as the Lord reveals it to the 
Elder by the Spirit. I think you will all agree with me in 
this , at least, such is my experience. I do not wish to be 
understood as throwing a straw in the way of the Elders 
storing their minds with all the arguments they can gather 
to urge m defense of their religion, nor do I wish to hinder 
them m the least from learning all they can with regard 



MISSIONARY WORK 507 

to religions and governments The more knowledge the 
Elders have the better 8*53 

I had only traveled a short time to testify to the people, 
before I learned this one fact, that you might prove doc- 
trine from the Bible till doomsday, and it would merely 
convince a people, but would not convert them You might 
read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, and prove 
every iota that you advance, and that alone would have no 
converting influence upon the people. Nothing short of a 
testimony by the power of the Holy Ghost would bring 
light and knowledge to them — bring them xn their hearts to 
repentance Nothing short of that would ever do You 
have frequently heard me say that I would rather hear an 
Elder, either here or in the world, speak only five words 
accompanied by the power of God, and they would do 
more good than to hear long sermons without the Spirit 
That is true, and we know it 5 .327. 

"When a false theory has to be maintained, it requxres to 
be set forth with much care, it requires study, and learn- 
ing, and cunning sophistry to gild over a falsehood and give 
it the semblance of truth, and make it plausible and con- 
genial to the feelings of the people; but the most simple 
and unlearned person can tell you the truth. A child can 
tell you the truth, in child-like language, while falsehood 
requires the lawyer and the priest to tell it to make it at all 
plausible; it requires a scholastic education to make falser- 
hood pass for truth. 11 '214. 

The servants of God have truth, and nothing but truth, 
to present to the world, that the world may be sanctified 
by the truth ■ The truth needeth no polish to make it 
lovely and desirable to those who love it 11 .234. 

They must eventually either acknowledge that he is the 



508 DISCOURSES OP BRIGHAM YOUNG 

Son of God and that his Gospel is the only Gospel, or they 
must take infidelity. Sooner or later the sects, one after 
another, will deny the Savior and every one of the or- 
dinances of his Gospel, until they are all enveloped in 
infidelity, or they must accept the whole. Strange as it 
may appear, they are now following shadows, phantoms of 
the brain, and mischievous manifestations 14 74. 

What should the wicked hear ? They should hear a man 
testify that Joseph Smith was and is a Prophet of God, 
that he was a good man, and that he did plant and estab- 
lish the Kingdom of God on the earth, and we know it. 
"How shall I know?" says one By obeying the command- 
ments given to you The Lord has said, go into the waters 
of baptism and be baptized for the remission of your sins, 
and you shall receive a witness that I am telling you the 
truth. How? By baptism and the laying on of hands 
alone? No* By seeing the 'sick healed? No, but by the 
Spirit that shall come unto you through obedience, which 
will make you feel like little children, and cause you to 
delight in doing good, to love your Father m 'Heaven and 
the society of the righteous. Have you malice and wrath 
then? No, it is taken from you, and you feel like the child 
m its mother's lap. You will feel kind to your children, to 
your brothers and sisters, to your parents and neighbors, 
and to all around you ; you will feel a glow, as of fire, burn- 
ing within you; and if you open your mouths to (talk you 
will declare ideas which you did not formerly think of; 
they will flow into your mind, even such as you have not 
thought of for years The Scriptures will be opened to 
you, and you will see how clear and reasonable everything 
is which this or that Elder teaches you. Your hearts will 
be comforted, you can lie down and sleep in peace, and 



MISSIONARY WORK 509 

wake up with feelings as pleasant as the breezes of sum- 
mer. This is witness to you 3 211 

The Latter-day Saints realize that there is no period of 
man's existence not incorporated with the plan of salva- 
tion, and directly pointing to a future existence. Conse- 
quently, when we stand here to speak to the people, let 
every man speak what is in his heart. If one of our Elders 
is capable of giving us a lecture upon any of the sciences, 
let it be delivered in the spirit of meekness — in the spirit of 
the holy Gospel If, on the Sabbath day, when we are 
assembled here to worship the Lord, one 'of the Elders 
should be prompted to give us a lecture on any branch of 
education with which he is acquainted, is it outside the 
pale of our religion? I think not. If any of the Elders 
are disposed to give a lecture to parents and children on 
letters, on the rudiments of the English language, it is in 
my religion, it js a part of my faith. Or if jan Elder shall 
give us a lecture upon astronomy, chemistry, or geology, 
our religion embraces it jail. It matters not what the sub- 
ject be, if it tends to improve the mind, exalt the feelings, 
and enlarge the capacity. The truth that is in all the arts 
and sciences forms a part of our religion. Faith is no more 
a part of it ,than any other true principle of philosophy 
Were I to give you a lecture today upon farming, would I 
be speaking upon a matter that transcends the bounds of 
our religion ? Agriculture is a part of it as well as any other 
truth Were I to lecture on business principles of any kind, 
our religion embraces it , and what it does not circumscribe, 
it would be well for us to dispense with at once and forever. 
1:334 

Humility and Devotion, the Essentials— The Kingdom 
of our God, that is set upon the earth, does not require men 



510 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

of many words and flaming oratorical talents, to establish 
truth and righteousness. It is not the many words that 
accomplish the designs of our Father in Heaven, with him 
it is the acts of the people more than their words , this I 
was convinced of before I embraced the Gospel Had it 
not been that I clearly saw and understood that the Lord 
Almighty would take the weak things of this world to con- 
found the mighty, the wise, and the talented, there was 
nothing that could have induced me, or persuaded me, to 
have ever become a public speaker 4 20 

On the other hand, I do not wish any of the brethren to 
be discouraged, for if you feel that you cannot say a single 
word, no matter, if you will only be faithful to your God 
and to your religion, and be humble, and cleave unto right- 
eousness, and forsake iniquity and sin, the Lord will guide 
you and give you words in due season. 2 268. 

I have known some of the Elders when they thought 
they would be called out to preach, keep away from meet- 
ing lest they should be called upon, for they feel their little- 
ness, their nothingness, their inability to rise up and preach 
to the people. They do not feel that they are anybody, and 
why should they expose their weaknesses? I have noticed 
one thing in regard to this— quite as many of these men 
become giants m the cause of truth, as there are of any 
other class : for when they get away they begin to lean on 
the Lord, and to seek 'unto him, and feeling theii weak- 
nesses, they ask him to give them wisdom to speak to the 
people as occasion may require Otheis can rise up heie 
and preach a flaming discourse, insomuch that you would 
think they were going to tear down the nations ; but when 
they go out into the world they often accomplish but little. 
2:267, 



MISSIONARY WORK 511 

Preach Only That Which is Known— With regard to 
doctrinal points, that which we do not understand should 
not be talked about in this stand , and the Elders of Israel 
should never contend about any point of doctrine that does 
not pertain to the present day's salvation 7 47 

I will give a caution to my brethren, the Elders — never 
undertake to teach a thing that you do not understand 
Such things will come into your minds, but without 
launching out on such subjects, questions may be asked and 
answered, and we gain knowledge from each other. There 
is plenty within, the scope of our own brains that, by the 
assistance of the Spirit of the Lord, will enable us to tell 
many things— more than the world, or even more than the 
Saints can receive 13 263 

If you do not understand a doctrine or a portion of 
Scripture, when information is asked of you, say that the 
Lord has not revealed that to you, or that he has not opened 
your understanding to grasp it, and that you do not feel 
safe m giving an interpretation until he does 8 56 

Hints for Preachers — Short sermons fitly spoken, are 
better than long ones ill spoken 3 '249. 

The spirit of truth will do more to bring persons to 
light and knowledge, than flowery words 4 21. 

I wish to see the Elders get up here and manifest their 
spirits, and speak as they feel when they are alone in their 
meditations. 3 237. 

I care little for a man's language, if his spirit proves 
to me that he has the love of God within him. 9:290. 

The preacher needs the power of the Holy Ghost to deal 
out to each heart a word in due season, and the hearers 
need the Holy Ghost to bring forth the fruits of the 
preached word of God to his glory. 8 :167 



512 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

No man ever preached a Gospel sermon, except by the 
gift and power of the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven. 
Without this power, there is no light in the preaching 
8:138. 

Elders m this Church— men who have been members 
for years,--often speak of piinciples in the abstract, when 
they would be better understood if they spoke of them in 
connection with other kindred principles 8 .259 

Perfection in conveying ideas is not yet given to the 
children of men. Our language is altogether inadequate 
for always conveying our ideas with unmistakable pre- 
cision, and the same ideas are generally advanced in dif- 
ferent words by different persons. 8-259. 

When a person opens his mouth, no matter what he talks 
about, to a person of quick discernment he will disclose 
more or less of his true sentiments You cannot hide the 
heart, when the mouth is open If you want to keep your 
heart secret, keep your mouth shut. 6 74. 

There are two thousand persons in this assembly, and 
if only Jialf a dozen of them have done wrong, I could not 
chastise them without appearing to chastise the whole con- 
gregation, which in reality is not so. By chastising the 
guilty, however, it is impossible |to spot the conscience of 
good men and women, whose hearts are clean and pure as a 
piece of white paper. 1 :92 

We can form some kind of an idea how a man feels by 
looking at him, but if you wish a man to portray himself 
faithfully you must get him to talk, and I will insure that 
the organs of speech will show out the true £tate of the 
mind, sooner or later, and reveal the fruit of his heart. No 
man can hide it if ihej is allowed to talk; he will be sure to 
manifest his true feelings. 3 :237. 



MISSIONARY WORK 513 

If you wish to impress on the minds of individuals or 
an audience anything that you desire them to remember, 
you will have to use language, accordingly. 14.193. 

When we hear a man that can speak of heavenly things, 
and present them {to the people in a way that they can be 
understood, you may know that to that man the avenue is 
open, and he, by some power, has communication with 
heavenly beings ; and when the highest intelligence is ex- 
hibited, he, perhaps, has communication with the highest 
intelligence that exists. 8:206 

I do not like to hear men make excuses, although it is 
natural, and I put up with it. I wish they could see and 
understand that they have had advantages above many of 
their brethren — that they have been greatly blessed, and 
should never complain, but should stand up here and exer- 
cise themselves according to the best of their ability, and 
do all the good possible for them to do. 5 97 

The truth is easily understood, and as easily told. The 
agriculturist and the mechanic can tell the truth, and be- 
come efficient ministers of it, by living faithfully in accord- 
ance with what they know of the Gospel ; for m this way 
they obtain the Holy Ghost, which giveth utterance. 11 :214. 

When people are hungry they need substantial food; 
when they are thirsty they need substantial drink Moses' 
smiting the rock would not have benefited the people in 
the least, if water had not gushed out It is the duty of 
the true minister of Christ to instruct the people of God 
how to get their food today, and to teach them by precept 
and example how to become an independent nation. 11 133. 

It is my business to teach mankind how to live, how 
to honor their present existence, how to treat their bodies 
so as to live to a good old age on the earth, and have power 



514 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

to do good and not evil all their days, and be ready to enter 
into the rest prepared for the Saints 10 27 

It yields solid satisfaction to hear men testify of the 
truth of the Gospel It is always peculiarly interesting to 
me to hear the Saints tell their experience. It is to me one 
of the best of sermons to hear men and women relate to 
each other how the Lord has wrought upon their under- 
standing and brought them into the path of truth, life, and 
salvation I would rather hear men tell their own experi- 
ence, and testify that Joseph was a Prophet of the Lord, 
and that the Book of Mormon, the Bible, and other revela- 
tions of God, are true; that they know it by the gift and 
power of God ; that they have conversed with angels, have 
had the power of the Holy Ghost upon them, giving them 
visions and revelations, than hear any kind of preaching 
that ever saluted my ears. 1 89 

A man who wishes to receive light and knowledge, to 
increase in the faith of the Holy Gospel, and to grow in the 
knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus Christ, will find that 
when he imparts knowledge to others he will also grow and 
increase. Be not miserly m your feelings, but get knowl- 
edge and understanding by freely imparting it to others, 
and be not like a man who selfishly hoards his gold; for 
that man will not thus increase upon the amount, but will 
become contracted in his views and feelings. So the man 
who will not impart freely of the knowledge he has re- 
ceived, will become so contracted in his mind that he can- 
not receive truth when it is presented to him Wherever 
you see an opportunity to do good, do it, for that is the way 
to increase and grow in the knowledge of the truth. 2 '267 

If a congregation wish to' be instructed so as to under- 
stand alike and alike receive an increase of wisdom and 



MISSIONARY WORK 515 

knowledge, their minds must be intent on the subject 
before them. They must not suffer their thoughts to be 
roaming over the earth; they must not permit their minds 
to be scanning and traversing their every-day duties and 
avocations 6 93-4. 

Elders of Israel and Bishops, be fathers, and take a 
course by which you will win the affections of the people. 
How? With your silken lips? No, no; but with the fear of 
the Almighty. Do you know that men and women of God 
love truth? They do not love sophistry, it is an abomina- 
tion to them. 4:283. 

A few words now, with regard' to preaching. The 
greatest and loudest sermon that can be preached, or that 
ever was preached on the face of the earth, is practice. No 
other is equal to it. 12 .271-2. 

If you will reflect upon what class of speakers have most 
edified you, no matter whether they are taught or un- 
taught in the learning of the schools, you will readily dis- 
cover that it has been those whose minds were stored with 
good ideas, and who spoke so that you could readily and 
easily understand them, whether their language was 
couched in the most approved style or not. When you 
hear individuals speak whose minds are stored with rich 
ideas, do they not benefit you the 'most? I care but little 
about your language, hand out the ideas, and let us know 
what you have stored in your minds. 3 :243-4 

I have the same diffidence in my feelings that most 
public speakers have, and am apt to think that others can 
speak better and more edifying than I can There are but 
few public speakers but what feel more or less timidity 
That is probably not so much a man-fearing spirit as it is a 
natural delicacy or timidity. All of you have doubtless to 



516 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

some extent realized the same feeling, either in large or 
small assemblies, and also in social conversation People 
generally are more or less disturbed and thrown off their 
balance by the sound of their own voices, especially when 
speaking to an audience, even after being much used to 
addressing assemblies. Some of our most eloquent and 
interesting speakers would rather do almost anything than 
speak to the congregations that assemble here. That diffi- 
dence or timidity we must dispense with When it be- 
comes our duty to talk, we ought to be willing to talk If 
we never exhibit the knowledge within us, the people will 
not know really whether we have any. 6 93. 

If an Elder in preaching the Gospel, does not feel that 
he has the power to preach life and salvation, and legally to 
administer the ordinances, and that, too, by the power of 
God, he will not fill his mission to his own credit, nor to 
the good of the people, and the advancement and honor of 
the Kingdom of God From all I can read, from all I can 
gather, from the revelations from God to man, and from 
the revelations of the Spirit to me, no man can successfully 
preach the Gospel and be owned, blessed, and acknowledged 
by the heavens, unless he preaches by the power of God 
through direct revelation. Not but that, in a great many 
instances, a man may not be manifestly under the immedi- 
ate and powerful influences and direction of revelation to 
dictate him all the time in his meditations and reasonings, 
and yet can advance many good ideas that he has gathered 
by means of his natural reasoning. But to magnify and 
make honorable the calling of an Elder in this Church, I 
cannot conceive, in my understanding, any other true prin- 
ciple by which it can be done, only when perfectly con- 
trolled by the Spirit of the Lord. 8:52-53. 



MISSIONARY WORK 517 

When a "Mormon" Elder offers evidence of this great 
work to unbelievers, they tell him that he is a party con- 
cerned, and his evidence cannot be taken with regard to 
Joseph Smith's mission I ask the Christian world. Where 
are your witnesses that Jesus is the Christ? Who are those 
who testified of his mission, and how many are there? Eight 
persons testified of him, and their testimony is recorded, 
and they were his disciples and parties concerned; yet at 
this day all the Christian world is ready to receive their 
testimony I testify that this work of God in which we are 
engaged has been commenced to gather the House of Israel 
and establish Zion in the last days, and has more outward 
and weighty evidence to prove that it is of God than there 
was in the days of Jesus to prove that he was the Christ 
When the Book of Mormon came forth it was testified to 
by twelve witnesses, and who can dispute their testimony ? 
No living person on the earth can do it; and besides the 
testimony of these twelve witnesses, hundreds and thou- 
sands have received a witness to themselves from the 
heavens, and who can dispute their testimony ? No living 
person on the earth can do it This infidel world inquires, 
"Where do you get your testimony ?" We answer, we get 
it from the heavens Were we to ask them where they 
get the knowledge they possess, they reply, "We do not 
know ; it came to us ; we know not its source ,r We have 
testimony that the Bible is true, that the prophecies con- 
tained in it are true, that Jesus is the Son of God, and came 
to redeem the world. Have the so-called Christian world 
this kind of testimony? They have not. All the testimony 
they can boast of is the testimony of eight men who lived 
nearly two thousand years ago. The infidel world cannot 



518 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

receive their testimony, because they were parties con- 
cerned. 12:208. 

Brother Whiting says that he is a man of but few words. 
I am satisfied that there is greater wisdom with many who 
say but little, than there is with those who talk so much ; 
as for the multitude of words, they are but of little con- 
sequence, the ideas are by far the greatest importance. 
4:20. 



CHAPTER XXIX 
VISIONS, MYSTERIES AND MIRACLES 

Visions of a Personal Nature— I ask, Is there a reason 
for men and women being exposed more constantly and 
more powerfully, to the power of the enemy, by having 
visions than by not having them ? There is and it is simply 
this — God never bestows upon his people, or upon an in- 
dividual, superior blessings without a severe trial to prove 
them, to prove that individual, or that people, to see 
whether they will keep their covenants with him, and keep 
in remembrance what he has shown them. Then the 
greater the vision, the greater the display of the power of 
the enemy. 

So when individuals are blessed with visions, revela- 
tions, and great manifestations, look out, then the Devil is 
nigh you, and you will be tempted in proportion to the 
visions, revelation, or manifestation you have received. 
3 -205-206 

If the Lord Almighty should reveal to a High Priest, or 
to any other than the head, things that are true, or that have 
been and will be, and show to him the destiny of this people 
twenty-five years from now, or a new doctrine that will in 
five, ten, or twenty years hence become the doctrine of this 
Church and Kingdom, but which -has not yet been revealed 
to this people, and reveal it to him by' the same Spirit, the 
same messenger, the same voice, the same power that gave 
revelations to Joseph when he was living, it would be a 
blessing to that High Priest, or individual; but he must 
rarely divulge it to a second person on the face of the earth, 
until God reveals it through the proper source to become 



520 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

the property of the people at large. Therefore when you 
hear Elders say that God does not reveal through the 
President of the Church that which they know, and tell 
wonderful things, you may generally set it down as a God's 
truth that the revelation they have had is from the Devil, 
and not from God. If they had received from the proper 
source, the same power that revealed to them would have 
shown them that they must keep the things revealed in 
their own bosoms, and they seldom would have a desire to 
disclose them to the second person. 3 :318 

Leave Mysteries Alone — Now, brethren, preach the 
things that we verily believe, and when we come to points 
of doctrine that we do not know, even if we have good 
reason to believe them, if our philosophy teaches us they 
are true, pass them by and teach only to the people that 
which we do know. 13 .265. 

What is a mystery? We do not know, it is beyond our 
comprehension When we talk about mystery, we talk 
about eternal obscurity ; for that which is known, ceases to 
be, a mystery, and all that is known, we may know as we 
progress in the scale of our intelligence. That which is 
eternally beyond the comprehension of all our intelligence 
is mystery. 1 '274. 

These are the mysteries of the Kingdom of God upon 
the earth, to know how to purify and sanctify our affec- 
tions, the earth upon which we stand, the air we breathe, 
the water we drink, the housesf in which we dwell and the 
cities which we build, that when strangers come into our 
country they may feel a hallowed influence and acknowl- 
edge a power to which they are strangers 10 '176. 

Jesus said to his disciples, to them it was given to know 
the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but to them that 



VISIONS, MYSTERIES AND MIRACLES 521 

were without, it was not given. If we were to examine the 
subject closely, we should learn that a very scanty portion 
of the things of the Kingdom were ever revealed, even to 
the" disciples. If we were prepared to gaze upon the mys- 
teries of the Kingdom, as they are with God, we should then 
know that only a very small portion of them has been 
handed out here and there. God, by his Spirit, has revealed 
many things to his people, but, in almost all cases, he has 
straightway shut up the vision of the mind. He will let his 
servants gaze upon eternal things for a moment, but 
straightway the vision is closed, and they are left as they 
were, that they may learn to act by faith, or as the Apostle 
has it, not walking by sight, but by faith. 1 -264. 

You may now be inclined to say, "We wish to hear the 
mysteries of the kingdoms of the Gods who have existed 
from eternity, and of all the kingdoms in which they will 
dwell; we desire to have these things portrayed to our 
understandings." 

Allow me to inform you that you are in the midst of it 
all now, that you are in just as good a kingdom as you will 
ever attain to, from now to all eternity, unless you make 
it yourselves by the grace of God, by the will of God, which 
is a code of laws perfectly calculated to govern and control 
eternal matter. 3:336. 

If they will only live up to it, there has already been 
enough taught the brethren who have lived here for years 
to prepare them to enter into the strait gate and into the 
New Jerusalem, and be prepared to enjoy the society of 
the holy angels. 8:177. 

Providences of God, All Miracles— The providences of 
God are all a miracle to the human family until they under- 
stand them. There are no miracles, only to those who are 



522 DISCOURSES OF BKIGHAM YOUNG 

ignorant A miracle is supposed to be a result without a 
cause, but there is no such thing There is a cause for 
every result we see ; and if we see a result without under- 
standing the cause we call it a miracle. 14 79. 

The Gospel plan is so devised, that a miracle to make 
people believe would only be a condemnation to them. 
When you hear people tell what they have seen—that they 
have seen great and powerful miracles wrought, and they 
could not help believing, remember that "devils believe 
and tremble," because they cannot help it. When the 
voice of the Good Shepherd is heard, the honest m heart 
believe and receive it It is good to taste with the inward 
taste, to see with the inward eyes, and to enjoy with the 
sensations of the ever-living spirit No person, unless he 
is an adulterer, a fornicator, covetous, or an idolator, will 
ever require a miracle, in other words, no good, honest 
peison ever will. 8:42. 

You have gathered the udea from me that it is not the 
miracles that are performed before a person's eyes that 
convince him that one is of God, or of the Devil ; yet, if the 
Lord designs that a person should heal the sick, the in- 
dividual can do so ; but is that to convince the wicked that 
the operator is sent of God? No, it is a blessing on the 
Saints, and the wicked have nothing to do with it, they 
have no business to hear of it , that is "for the Samts, it is 
especially for their benefit, and theirs alone. 3 '211. 

This, in my own mind, is argued out perfectly, upon 
natural principles. It is natural for me to believe that, if I 
plough the ground and sow wheat, in the proper season I 
shall reap a crop £>f wheat; this is the natural result It 
was precisely so with the miracles that Jesus wrought upon 
the earth? At the wedding m Cana of Galilee, when they 



VISIONS, MYSTERIES AND MIRACLES 523 

had drunk; all the wine, they went to the Savior and asked 
him what they should do He 'ordered them to fill up their 
pots with water, and after having done so they drew forth 
of that water and found that it was wine I believe that 
was real wine; I do not believe that it was done on the 
principle that such things are done in these days by wicked 
men, who, by means of what they term psychology, electro- 
biology, mesmerism, etc., influence men and make them 
believe that water is wine, and other things of a similar 
character. The Savior converted the water into wine He 
knew how to call the necessary elements together in order 
to fill the water with the properties of wine. The elements 
are all around us; we eat, drink and breathe them, and 
Jesus, understanding the process of calling them together, 
performed no miracle except to those who were ignorant of 
that process. It was the same with the woman who was 
healed by touching the hem of his garment; she was healed 
by faith, but it was no miracle to Jesus. He understood 
the process, and although he was pressed by the crowd, 
behind and before, and on each side, so that he could 
scarcely make his way through it, the moment she touched 
him he felt virtue leave him and enquired who touched 
him. This was no miracle to him. He had the issues of 
life and death in his power ; he had power to lay down his 
life and power to take it up again This is what he says, 
and we must believe this if we believe the history of the 
Savior and the sayings of the Apostles recorded in the New 
Testament Jesus had this power in and of himself; the 
Father bequeathed it to him; it was his legacy, and he had 
the power to lay down his life and take it again He had 
the streams and issues of life within him' and when he said 
"Live" to individuals, they lived. The diseases that are 



524 DISCOURSES OF BKIGHAM YOUNG 

and ever have been prevalent among the human family are 
from beneath, and are entailed upon them through the 
fall— through the disobedience of our first parents; but 
Jesus, having the issues of life at his command, could 
counteract those diseases at his pleasure The case of the 
Centurion's servant is a striking instance of this. The 
Centurion sent and besought Jesus to heal his servant 
"Say in a word," said he, "and my servant shall be healed " 
Jesus, seeing the man's earnestness and solicitude, said, 
"I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel." And 
it is said that they who were sent, returned to the Cen- 
turion's house and found the servant healed. Jesus coun- 
teracted the disease preying upon the system of this man, 
but to himself, knowing the principle by which the disease 
was rebuked, it was no miracle 13 :140-141 

As quick as I admit that the history Moses gives of him- 
self is true, I cannot have any question in the world but 
what in ancient days they understood in a measure how.to 
command the elements The magicians of Egypt were 
instructed in things pertaining to true riches, and had 
obtained keys and powers enough to produce a bogus in 
opposition to the true coin, as it were, and thus they 
deceived the king and the people. They could cause frogs 
to come upon the land, as well as Moses could. They 
could turn the waters of Egypt into blood, and in many 
more things compete with Moses There was one thing, 
however, they could not do, though they produced a very 
good bogus, but it was not quite the true coin. When 
they threw their staffs on the floor before the king, these 
could not swallow the staff of Moses, but the staff of 
Moses swallowed the staffs of the magicians. I have no 



VISIONS, MYSTERIES AND MIRACLES 525 

doubt that men can perform many such wonders by the 
principles of natural philosophy 1 270 

Miracles for Believers — Miracles, or these extraordinary 
manifestations of the power of God, are not for the un- 
believer ; they are to console the Saints, and to strengthen 
and confirm the faith of those who love, fear, and serve 
God, and not for outsiders. 12 97 

"Why do not the people speak with tongues 9 " We 
do, and we speak with tongues that you can understand, 
and Paul says he would rather speak five or ten words in 
a language that can be understood, than many in a lan- 
guage that cannot be. This is what may be conveyed 
15 :133 

Faith Not Dependent on Miracles — I do not want to 
see a miracle to confirm the truth of any doctrine or saying 
that is revealed to me, If I can see that it is calculated to 
purify the hearts of the people and to sanctify their affec- 
tions, and to reconcile them to God and to his law and 
government, it satisfies me; and so far as this goes, I might 
say that I am like the Christian world, in the belief that 
miracles are no longer needed. But I believe that miracles 
are as absolutely necessary now as they ever were. 13 .140. 
Take the case of the Children of Israel and the miracles 
that were wrought in their deliverance from the land of 
Egypt. The question arises, was it through their faith, or 
because of the promises which God had made to their 
fathers? * * * It was not because of the righteousness 
of the Children of Israel, but because of the promises of 
the Lord to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, for he must fulfil 
the promises made to his servants. He wanted at one time 
to destroy the whole people, and told Moses to let him 
alone that he might destroy them because of their wicked- 



526 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

ness and rebellion, and he would make of him (Moses) a 
great nation, but Moses pleaded in their behalf, and called 
upon the Lord to remember his promises, and they were 
preserved. 12.242-243 

Do you suppose that Jesus Christ healed every person 
that was sick, or that all the devils were cast out m the 
country where he sojourned? I do not. Working miracles, 
healing: the sick, raising the dead, and the like, were almost 
as' rare in his day as in this our day Once in a while the 
people would have faith in his power, and what is called 
a miracle would be performed, but the sick, the blind, the 
deaf and dumb, the crazy, and those possessed with differ- 
ent kinds of devils were around him, and only now and 
then could his faith have power to take effect, on account 
of the want of faith in the individuals. 3 45-46 

If we have faith to feel that the issues of life and death 
are in our power, we can say to disease, "Be ye rebuked in 
the name of Jesus, and let life and health come into the 
system of this individual, from God, to counteract this dis- 
ease;" and our faith will bring this by the laying on of 
hands by administering the ordinance of the holy Gospel 
13.141. 

Men who have professedly seen the most, known and 
understood the most, in this Church, and who have testi- 
fied in the presence of large congregations, in the name of 
Israel's God, that they have seen Jesus, etc , have been the 
very men who have left this Kingdom, before others who 
had to live by faith. 3 '205. 

You will recollect that I have often told you that 
miracles would not save a person, and I say that they 
never should. If I were to see a man come in here this 
day, and say, "I am the great one whom the Lord has sent," 



VISIONS, MYSTERIES AND MIRACLES 527 

and cause fire to come down in our sight, through the ceil- 
ing that is over our heads, I would not believe any more 
for that. It is no matter what he does, I cannot believe any 
more on that account. What will make me believe ? What 
made the twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ witnesses? What 
constituted them Apostles — special witnesses to the world ? 
Was it seeing miracles? No. What was it? The visions 
of their minds were opened, and it was necessary that a 
few should receive light, knowledge, and intelligence, that 
all the powers of earth and hell could not gainsay or com- 
pete with. That witness was within them, and yet, after 
all that was done for them, after all that Jesus showed them, 
and after all the power of the spirit of revelation which 
they possessed, you find that one of them apostatized, 
turned away and sold his Lord and Master for thirty pieces 
of silver, in consequence of his not being firm to his cove- 
nant in the hour of darkness and temptation. Another of 
them was ready to say, "I do not know anything about the 
Lord Jesus Christ," and denied him. 

Some are apt now to say, "I don't know anything about 
this Mormonism, I don't know about the Priesthood." Did 
you not once know? "I thought I did, but now I find 
myself deceived." What is the reason? Because they give 
way to temptation ; they may have had great light, knowl- 
edge, and understanding, the visions of their minds may 
have been opened and eternity exhibited to their view, but 
when this is closed up, in proportion to the light given to 
them, so is the darkness that comes upon them to try them. 
3:206-207. 

A sister who receives the gift of tongues is not thereby 
empowered to dictate her president, or the Church. All 
gifts and endowments given of the Lord to members of his 



528 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

Church are not given to control the Church; but they are 
under the control and guidance of the Priesthood, and are 
judged by it Some have erred upon this point, and have 
been led captive by the Devil. 11:136. 

If you say that you want mysteries, commandments, 
and revelations, I reply that scarcely a Sabbath passes over 
your heads, those of you who come here, without your 
having the revelations of Jesus Christ poured upon you like 
water on the ground. 3 336-337. 

Some are very anxious that I should have visions. I 
have all that the Lord gives to me ; and all that he keeps 
back he may; for that is no concern of mine. We are on 
the old ship Zion; and if God is not at the helm, the old 
ship will wreck and go to the Devil. As for my taking 
charge of the Kingdom of God on the earth, exclusively 
and independently of direction from heaven, I shall not 
do any such thing. If the Lord does not direct the old 
ship and act as captain and pilot, it will go to destruction. 

He is at the helm, and will stay there. If you and I 
will bring our feelings to the point I have just spoken of, 
he will continue to guide the welfare of Zion and all its 
rights. 5 :352. 



CHAPTER XXX 
TRIALS AND PERSECUTION 

Trials are Necessary— We are now in a day of trial to 
prove ourselves worthy or unworthy of the life which is to 
come. 12 :167. 

If we have correct doctrines, and will fashion our 
lives to them, we may sanctify ourselves without being 
chastened. 12:310. 

The people of the Most High God must be tried. It is 
written that they will be tried in all things, even' as Abra- 
ham was tried. If we are called to go upon mount Moriah 
to sacrifice a few of our Isaacs, it is no matter; we may 
just as well do that as anything else. I think there is a 
prospect for the Saints to have all the) trials they wish for, 
or can desire. 4:369. 

All intelligent beings who are crowned with crowns of 
glory, immortality, and eternal lives must pass through 
every ordeal appointed for intelligent beings to pass 
through, to gain their glory and exaltation. Every calami- 
ty that can come upon mortal beings will be suffered to 
come upon the few, to prepare them to enjoy the presence 
of the Lord. If we obtain the glory that Abraham obtained, 
we must do so by the same means that he did. If we are 
ever prepared to enjoy the society of Enoch, Noah, Mel- 
chizedek, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, or of their faithful 
children, and of the faithful Prophets and Apostles, we 
must pass through the same experience, and gain the knowl- 
edge, intelligence, and endowments that will prepare us to 
enter into the celestial kingdom of our Father and God. 
How many of the Latter-day Saints will endure all these 



530 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

things, and be prepared to enjoy the presence of the Father 
and the Son ? You can answer that question at your leisure. 
Every trial and experience you have passed through is nec- 
essary for your salvation. 8 .150. 

Should our lives be extended to a thousand years, still 
we may live and learn. Every vicissitude we pass through 
is necessary for experience and example, and for prepara- 
tion to enjoy that reward which is for the faithful. 9.292. 

If Adam had not sinned, and if his posterity had con- 
tinued upon the earth, they could not have known sin, or 
the bitter from the sweet, neither would they have known 
righteousness, for the plain and simple reason that every 
effect can only be fully manifested by its opposite. If the 
Saints could realize things as they are when they are called 
to pass through trials, and to suffer what they call sacri- 
fices, they would acknowledge them to be the greatest 
blessings that could be bestowed upon them. But put them 
m possession of true principles and true enjoyments, with- 
out the opposite, and they could not know enjoymet, they 
could not realize happiness. They could not tell light from 
darkness, because they have no knowledge of darkness and 
consequently are destitute of a realizing sense of light. If 
they should not taste the bitter, how could they realize the 
sweet? They could not 2.301-302. 

You will learn this in the Bible, the Book of Mormon, 
and in the revelations given through Joseph. We must 
know and understand the opposition that is in all things, in 
order to discern, choose, and receive that which we do 
know will exalt us to the presence of God. You cannot 
know the one without knowing the other. This is a true 
principle. 4.373. 

Now if you possess the light of the (Holy Spirit, you 



TRIALS AND PERSECUTION 531 

can see clearly that trials in the flesh are actually necessary. 
2:8. 

Purpose of Persecution — Let any people enjoy peace 
and quiet, unmolested, undisturbed,— never be persecuted 
for their religion, and they are very likely to neglect their 
duty, to become cold and indifferent, and lose their faith. 
7:42. 

He led this people in different parts of the United States, 
and the finger of scorn has been pointed at them. Officers 
of the Government of the United States have lifted their 
heel against them, and this people have been driven from 
town to town, from county to county, and from state to 
state. The Lord has his design in this. You may ask what 
his design is. You all know 1 that the Saints must be made 
pure, to enter into the celestial kingdom. It is recorded 
that Jesus was made perfect through suffering. If he was 
made perfect through suffering, why should we imagine for 
one moment that we can be prepared to enter into the 
kingdom of rest with him and the Father, without passing 
through similar ordeals ? 8 :66. 

We are infinitely more blessed by the persecutions and 
injustice we have suffered, than we could have been if we 
had remained in our habitations from which we have been 
driven — than if we had been suffered to occupy our farms, 
gardens, stores, mills, machinery and everything we had 
in our former possessions. 10 :38. 

Persecution May Be Expected — I wish to inform you, 
brethren and sisters, who have just arrived in these valleys, 
that all your trials hitherto are but trifling in comparison 
to the trials you will now be called to meet and pass 
through. 8:163. 

War has been declared against the Saints over twenty- 



532 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

seven years, and our enemies have only fallen back so as 
to gain strength and pretexts for making another attack. 
Will that spirit increase? If it does, and we love our 
religion, let me tell you that we will increase faster than 
our enemies will. 5 :340. 

Only be faithful, brethien and sisters, and I promise that 
you shall have all such privileges as shall be for your good. 
You need not be discouraged, or mourn, because you were 
not in Jackson County persecutions, or weie not driven 
from Ohio, Missouri, and Illinois, and stripped, robbed and 
plundered of all your property Do not mourn and feel 
bad, because you were not in Nauvoo, have no fears, for 
if the word of the Lord is true, you shall yet be tried in all 
things, so rejoice, and pray without ceasing, and in every- 
thing give thanks, even if it is m the spoiling of your goods, 
for it is the hand of God that leads us, and will continue so 
to do Let every man and woman sanctify themselves be- 
fore the Lord, and every providence of the Almighty shall 
be sanctified for good of them 1 -279. 

The ancient Saints weie, and the Saints of latter days 
have been, driven from pillar to post, their name a hiss and 
a by-word, and their character traduced to the lowest de- 
gree. I will appeal to men in this congregation, who have 
lived for years in the society of the world, who are judges, 
magistrates, sheriffs, merchants, mechanics, and farmers, if 
anything was ever alleged against their character until they 
joined the Latter-day Saints. But where are your char- 
acters now in the world? Your former friends now have 
found out that you always were miserable creatures, they 
now declare they never had any confidence in you, for you 
always were enthusiastic beings, and knew not what you 
were doing They always believed you would prove your- 



$S$fa 



M 






/%,' 






- \ 




■ ■ 



Brigham Young 

As a Young Man 




Brigham Young 

Matured 




The Home or Brigham Young in Nauvoo 



TRIALS AND PERSECUTION 533 

selves dishonest, etc. This has been the character given 
to the Saints by the world m all ages. 1 236. 

Meet Trials Cheerfully — We are the happiest people 
when we have what are called trials ; for then the Spirit of 
God is more abundantly bestowed upon the faithful If 
the Lord requires it, I would as soon consume all I have 
and go into the mountains with my family as to do a good 
many other things. 5 332. 

I say to the Latter-day Saints, all we have to do is to 
learn of God. Let the liars lie on, and let the swearers 
swear on, and they will go to perdition All we have to 
do is to go onward and upward, and keep the command- 
ments of our Father and God, and he will confound our 
enemies. 19 :50. 

There is not a hardship, there is not 'a disappointment, 
there is not a trial, there is not a hard time, that comes 
upon this people in this place, but that I am more thankful 
for than I am for full granaries. 4.51. 

We have passed through a great many scenes, we may 
say, of tribulation, though I would have all my brethren 
understand that I do not take this to myself, for all that I 
have passed through has been joy and joyful to me; but 
we have seemingly sacrificed a great deal, and passed 
through many scenes of trial and temptations, no doubt of 
this We have had to suffer temptation more or less, and 
we have taken the spoiling of our goods joyfully. I have, 
myself, five times before I came to this valley, left every- 
thing that the Lord had blessed me with pertaining to this 
world's goods, which, for the country where I lived, was 
not a very little. 18.237. 

As to trials, why bless your hearts, the man or woman 
who enjoys the spirit of 'our religion has no trials; but the 



534 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

man or woman who tries to live according- to the Gospel of 
the Son of God, and at the same time clings to the spirit of 
the world, has trials and sorrows acute and keen, and that, 
too, continually. 

Cast off the yoke of the enemy, and put on the yoke of 
Christ, and you will say that his yoke is easy and his burden 
is light. This I know by experience. 16 "123 

I have heard a great many tell about what they have 
suffered for Christ's sake I am happy to say I never had 
occasion to. I have enjoyed a great deal, but so far as suf- 
fering goes I have compared it a great many times, in my 
feelings and before congregations, to a man wearing an 
old, worn-out, tattered and dirty coat, and somebody comes 
along and gives him one that is new, whole and beautiful. 
This is the comparison I draw when I think of what I have 
suffered for the Gospel's sake— I have thrown away an old 
coat and have put on a new one No man or woman ever 
heard me tell about suffering "Did you not leave a hand- 
some property m Ohio, Missouri, and Illinois?" Yes "And 
have you not suffered through that?" No, I have been 
growing better and better all the time, and so have this 
people. And you may take the history of the world from 
the days of Adam down, land I am at the defiance of any 
historian to prove that the Saints have ever suffered as 
much as the sinners. This is my belief about the religion 
of Jesus Christ Some may say, "Did not the children of 
Israel suffer?" Yes "Why ? " Because of their iniquity. 
They transgressed the laws God had given them; they 
changed the ordinances and broke the everlasting covenant, 
and for their sin and disobedience they were led into cap- 
tivity. If they had been obedient, I reckon they would 
have been led direct to the Holy Land, and stayed there. 



TRIALS AND PERSECUTION 535 

Some may say, "Now, Mr. Speaker, you have been driven 
from your home, was it for righteousness?" No, I expect 
not I expect it was to chasten me and make me better 
13-147. 

Cause of Persecution — Hatred and persecution have been 
the lot of every man that ever lived upon the earth hold- 
ing the oracles of the Kingdom of Heaven to deliver to the 
children of men. Wicked men, Satan, and all the powers 
of hell and hate are at war with every holy principle that 
God wishes to place m the possession of his children. That 
is the true reason of the hatred and persecution meted out 
to us, 8 13. 

Do you know that that very principle caused the death 
of all the Prophets, from the days of Adam until now ? 
Let a Prophet arise upon the earth, and never reveal the 
evils of men, and do you suppose that the wicked would 
desire to kill him ? No, for he would cease to be a Prophet 
of the Lord, and they would invite him to their feasts, and 
hail him as a friend and brother. Why? Because it would 
be impossible for him to be anything but one of them It 
is impossible for a Prophet of Christ to live in an adulter- 
ous generation without speaking of the wickedness of the 
people, without revealing their faults and their failings, 
and there is nothing short of death that will stay him from 
it, for a Prophet of God will do as he pleases. 3 :4& 

The false religion that is in the world, is what raises 
this "hue and cry," misguides the people, and opposes itself 
against the Kingdom of God on the earth. Now if we 
would only fall in with the wicked all would be right, and 
then no person would wish to persecute us. 2:181. 

Why should we have enemies? "Why is it," say our 
objectors, "that you cannot mingle and mix in society like 



536 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

other religious denominations?" It has been seen that the 
people would not permit us to dwell in their midst in peace 
We have been universally driven by illegal force, by mobs, 
murderers, and assassins, as unworthy of having a place 
amongst the abodes of civilized man, until, as a last resort, 
we found peace in these distant valleys. It is because our 
religion is the only true one. It is because we have the only 
true authority, upon the face of the whole earth, to ad- 
minister in the ordinances of the Gospel. It is because the 
keys of this dispensation were committed by messengers 
sent from the Celestial world unto Joseph Smith, and are 
now held on the earth by this people. It is because Christ 
and Lucifer are enemies, and cannot be made friends; and 
Lucifer, knowing that we have this Priesthood, this power, 
this authority, seeks our overthrow. 2:177. 

All hell is moved against this people, because we are 
of one heart and of one mind 5 '228. 

It is light, intelligence, the power of God that make the 
wicked tremble and wish "Mormomsm" out of the way. 
If it were a false doctrine or a false theory, the Devil would 
not endeavor to disturb it, wicked men would not fear it, 
Heaven would not smile upon it, nor give a revelation to 
any man or woman to believe it, and we should have poor 
success; and Heaven forbid that we should have success 
or gain influence upon any other principle than the revela- 
tions of Jesus Christ. 1 :160. 

We were not persecuted because we believed in having 
many wives, for that principle was not known to our perse- 
cutors until we came to these mountains, although the 
revelation was received by Joseph Smith and written a 
year before his death. 14 119. 

We are Christians professedly, according to our religion. 



TRIALS AND PERSECUTION 537 

People have gathered to themselves certain ideas, and laid 
them down as systems, calling 1 them religion, all profess- 
ing to believe and obey the Scriptures Their religions are 
peculiar to themselves — our religion is peculiar to God, to 
angels, and to the righteous of time and eternity. Why 
are we persecuted because of our religion? Why was 
Joseph Smith persecuted ? Why was he hunted from neigh- 
borhood to neighborhood, from city to city, from state to 
state, and at last suffered death? Because he received 
revelations from the Father, from the Son, and was min- 
istered to by holy angels, and published to the world the 
direct will of the Lord concerning his children on the earth 
Again, why was he persecuted? Because he revealed to 
all mankind a religion so plain and so easily undei stood, 
consistent with the Bible, and so true It is now as it was 
in the days of the Savior; let people believe and practice 
these simple, God-like truths, and it will be as it was in the 
old world, they will say, if this man be let alone he will 
come and take away our peace and nation. 18 231. 

Disobedience Causes Persecution — When we look at the 
Latter-day Saints, we ask, is there any necessity of their 
being persecuted? Yes, if they are disobedient. Is there 
any necessity of chastening a son or a daughter? Yes, if 
they are disobedient. But suppose they are perfectly obedi- 
ent to every requirement of their parents, is there any 
necessity of chastening them then? If there is, I do not 
understand the principle of it. I have not yet been able 
to see the necessity of chastening an obedient child, neither 
have I been able to see the necessity of chastisement from 
the Lord upon a people who are perfectly obedient. Have 
this people been chastened ? Yes, they have. 12 :308 

We have been persecuted, driven, smitten, cast out, 



538 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

robbed and hated; and I may say it was for our coldness 
and neglect of duty; and if we did not exactly deserve it, 
there have been times when we did deserve it If we did 
not deserve it at the time, it was good for and gave us an 
experience, though I must say that one of the hardest 
lessons for me to learn on earth is to love a man who 
hates me and would put me to death if he had the power 
I do not think I have got this lesson by heart, and I do not 
know how long I shall have to live to learn it. I am trying 
14 97. 

Those who turn away from the holy commandments 
will meet trials that are trials indeed. They will feel the 
wrath of the Almighty upon them. Those who are still and 
are good children will receive the rich blessing of their 
Father and God. Be still, and let your faith rest on the 
Lord Almighty. 7-136. 

Result of Persecution— Every time you kick "Mormon- 
ism" you kick 'it upstairs, you never kick it downstairs. 
The Lord Almighty so orders it. 7.145 

Can you destroy a true religion by persecuting it? No 
7 145. 

Joseph could not have been perfected, though he had 
lived a thousand years, if he had received no persecution 
If he had lived a thousand years, and led this people, and 
preached the Gospel without persecution, he would not 
have been perfected as well as he was at the age of thirty- 
nine years , You may calculate, when this people are called 
to go through scenes of affliction and suffering, are driven 
from their homes, and cast down, and scattered, and smitten, 
and peeled, the Almighty is rolling on his work with 
greater rapidity. 2 -7. 

Well, do you thmk that persecution has done us good ? 



TRIALS AND PERSECUTION 539 

Yes I sit and laugh, and rejoice exceedingly when I see 
persecution I care no more about it than I do about the 
whistling of the north wind, the croakmg of the crane that 
flies over my head, or the crackling of the thorns under 
the pot. The Lord has all things in his hand; therefore let 
it come, for it will give me experience. 2 8 

Every time they persecute and try to overcome this 
people, they elevate us, weaken their own hands, and 
strengthen the hands and the arms of this people. And 
every time they undertake to lessen our number, they 
increase it. And when they try to destroy the faith and 
virtue of this people, the Lord strengthens the feeble knees, 
and confirms the wavering in faith and power in God, m 
light, and intelligence. Righteousness and power with God 
increase m this people in proportion as the Devil strug- 
gles to destroy it 8 :225-6 

If we did not have to bear the iron hand of persecution, 
the principles we believe in, which attract the attention of 
the good and the evil upon the earth and which occupy so 
many tongues and circumscribe their philosophy, would 
be embraced by thousands who are now indifferent to 
them. The evil-doer would crowd upon our borders ; and 
we have plenty of them now without receiving any more 
They would crowd mto this Church. 18 :359. 

I say the same now. Let us alone, and we will send 
Elders to the uttermost parts of the earth, and gather out 
Israel, wherever they are; and if you persecute us, we will 
do it the quicker, because we are naturally dull when let 
alone, and are disposed to, take a little sleep, a little slum- 
ber, and a little rest. If you let us alone, we will do it a 
little more leisurely; .but if you persecute us, we will sit 
up nights to preach the Gospel. 2 '320. 

Moses was not to blame because Pharaoh's heart became 



540 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

more and more hard He was not to blame because an 
overwhelming destruction came upon that devoted army 
Neither is God, Jesus Christ, Joseph Smith, myself, or the 
Apostles and Prophets of this last dispensation to blame for 
the unbelief of this nation, and for the dark and lowering 
tempest that now threatens to overthrow them with a ter- 
rible destruction. Still, as Pharaoh's heart became harder 
and harder, so will it be with the persecutors of God's peo- 
ple and purposes in the latter times, until they are utterly 
destroyed. 10:4. 

Cannot Overtake Falsehood— We have been asked a 
good many times, "Why do you not publish the truth in 
regard to these lies which are circulated about you?" We 
might do this if we owned all the papers published in 
Christendom Who will publish a letter from me or my 
brethren ? Who will publish the truth from us ? If it gets 
into one paper, it is slipped under the counter or some- 
where else, but it never gets into a second. They will send 
forth lies concerning us very readily. The old adage is 
that a he will cieep through the keyhole and go a thousand 
miles while truth is getting out of doors, and our experi- 
ence has proved this We have not the influence and power 
necessary to refute the falsehoods circulated about us. We 
depend on God, who sits in the heavens. Our trust is in 
him who created the heavens, who formed the earth, and 
who has brought forth his children on the earth, and who 
has given the intelligence which they possess. 13 177. 

If I now had in my possession one hundred million dol- 
lars in cash, I could buy the favor of the publishers of 
newspapers and control their presses; with that amount I 
could make this people popular, though I expect that 
popularity would send us to hell 3*160 



TRIALS AND PERSECUTION 541 

Danger of Persecuting the Saints— When men lift their 
hands against the Latter-day Saints, they lift them against 
the Almighty 11.119. 

He who lifts his heel against the Lord and against his 
anointed will find himself a poor, pusillanimous, weak 
instrument in the hands of the Devil to accomplish his 
designs. 8 33. 

When men operate against this people, they may spend 
all they possess and all their ability, and it will pass away 
like an empty sound, and they will be forgotten. Such 
persons have always come to naught, and all who fight 
against the people of the Most High will continue to come 
to naught. 3 .259. 

Tell the world— sound it in the ears of kings and rulers, 
that they are persecuting a people to whose God they will 
have to pay every debt they contract; they will be brought 
into judgment for every act against this Kingdom This is 
the Kingdom of God; these are the people of God, as are 
all who receive the truth and follow its principles. As to 
parentage, we are no more the children of God than are the 
rest of the inhabitants of the earth. Originally, as to our 
parents, as to our organization and that which pertains to 
our life, we are all the children of one Father, whether we 
be Jew or Gentile, bond or free, black or white, noble or 
ignoble. The difference we see arises in consequence of 
the different use made of the agency given to man. 8 :194-5, 

The sufferings that have com§ upon the Latter-day 
Saints, through persecution, will not compare in severity 
with the sufferings which have come upon the wicked in 
our own day. 11.274. 

Persecution Comes From Efforts of Few— Now to tell 
the truth, there are but few, in comparison with the num- 



542 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

bers that now live, who are rabid against and seek to 
destroy the Kingdom of God. A great portion of the human 
family are honorable men and women, and they would 
just as soon that "Mormonism" should live as any other 
ism. The few who seek to destroy the Kingdom of God 
are priests, politicians, and office seekers, and they would 
care nothing about it, only they are afraid we will take 
away their place and station. 11*323. 



CHAPTER XXXI 
POLITICAL GOVERNMENT 

Theocratic Government — I believe in a true republican 
theocracy, and also in a true democratic theocracy, as the 
term democratic is now used; for they are to me, in their 
present use, convertible terms. 6:346. 

What do I understand by a theocratic government ' One 
in which all laws are enacted and executed in righteous- 
ness, and whose officers possess that power which pro- 
ceedeth from the Almighty. That is the kind of govern- 
ment I allude to when I speak of a theocratic government, 
or the Kingdom of God upon the earth. It is, in short, the 
eternal powers of the Gods. 6 :346-7. 

If the Kingdom of God, or a theocratic government, 
was established on the earth, many practices now prevalent 
would be abolished. 

One community would not be permitted to array itself 
in opposition to another to coerce them to their standard ; 
one denomination would not be suffered to persecute an- 
other because they differed in religious belief and mode of 
worship Every one would be fully protected in the enjoy- 
ment of all religious and social rights, and no state, no 
government, no community, no person would have the 
privilege of infringing on the rights of another ; one Chris- 
tian community would not rise up and persecute another. 
6:343. 

But few, if any, understand what a theocratic govern- 
ment is. In every sense of the word, it is a republican gov- 
ernment, and differs but little in form from our National, 
$tate, and Territorial Governments; but its subjects will 



544 DISCOURSES OF BEIGHAM YOUNG 

recognize the will and dictation of the Almighty The 
Kingdom of God circumscribes and comprehends the muni- 
cipal laws for the people in their outward government, to 
which pertain the Gospel covenants, by which the people 
can be saved; and those covenants pertain to fellowship 
and faithfulness 

The Gospel covenants are foi those who believe and 
obey; municipal laws are for both Saint and sinner. 

The Constitution and laws of the United States resemble 
a theocracy more closely than any government now on the 
earth, or that ever has been so far as we know, except the 
government of the Children of Israel to the time when they 
elected a king. 

All governments are more or less under the control of 
the Almighty, and, in their forms, have sprung from the 
laws that he has from time to time given to man. Those 
laws, in passing from generation to generation, have been 
more or less adulterated, and the result has been the various 
forms of government now in force among the nations ; for, 
as the Prophet says of Israel, "They have transgressed the 
laws, changed the ordinances, and broken the everlasting 
covenant." 

Whoever lives to see the Kingdom of God fully estab- 
lished upon the earth will see a government that will pro- 
tect every person in his rights If that government was 
now reigning upon this land of Joseph, you would see the 
Roman Catholic, the Greek Catholic, the Episcopalian, the 
Presbyterian, the Methodist, the Baptist, the Quaker, the 
Shaker, the Hindoo, the Mahometan, and every class of 
worshipers most strictly protected in all their municipal 
rights and in the privileges of worshiping who, what, and 
when they pleased, not infringing upon the rights of others. 



POLITICAL GOVERNMENT 545 

Does any candid person in his sound judgment desire any 
greater liberty? 6:342-343. 

In the sincere observances of the principles of true relig- 
ion and virtue, we recognize the base, the only sure founda- 
tion of enlightened society and well-established government. 
2:178. 

I have had some people ask me how I manage and con- 
trol the people. I do it by telling them the truth, and letting 
them do just as they have a mind to. 14 :162. 

Republican Government— There is no other platform 
that any government can stand upon and endure, but the plat- 
form of truth and virtue. 10:108. 

How can a republican government stand? There is only 
one -way for it ,to stand. It can endure; but how? It can 
endure, as the government of heaven endures, upon the eter- 
nal rock of truth and virtue; and that is the only basis upon 
which any government can endure. 9.4. 

What is a true republican government is easily answered. 
It is a government or institution that is perfect — perfect in 
its laws and ordinances, having* for its object the perfection 
of mankind in righteousness. This is true democracy. 7:10. 

Individual self-government lies at the, root of all true and 
effective government, whether in heaven or on earth. Those 
who govern should be wiser and better than the governed, 
that the lesser may be blessed of the greater. Were this so, 
then the people would willingly repose their dearest inter- 
ests to the trusts of their rulers or leaders, and with a feeling 
of pleasure bow to and carry out to the letter their instruc- 
tions and conclusions on all matters that pertained to the 
general good. This will apply to great kingdoms and mighty 
nations, to small companies of immigrants crossing the plains, 
or to the home circle. A republican government in the hands 



546 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

of a wicked people must terminate in woe to that people, but 
in the hands of the righteous it is everlasting, while its power 
reaches! to heaven. 10 19. 

Suppose this people inhabiting these mountains are broken 
off entirely from the nations of the world, rendering no 
allegiance to any earthly power combined or isolated; free to 
make laws, to obey them, or to break them ; free to act, to 
choose, and to refuse, and, in every sense of the word, to do 
as they please, without any fixed order of government what- 
ever, and they make a constitution a system of government for 
mutual protection and advancement in the principles of right, 
to be framed according to the best wisdom that can be found 
in this community,— I say, let them govern themselves by a 
republican system of government, selecting a man from their 
midst to preside over them. 7*11. 

A true system of civilization will not encourage the exist- 
ence of every abomination and crime in a community but will 
lead them to observe the laws Heaven has laid down for 
the regulation of the life of man. There is no other civiliza- 
tion. A truly civilized person .is one who is a real gentleman 
or lady; in language and manners he is truly refined, and 
gives way to no practice that is unhallowed or uncomely This 
is what we are after, and trying to attain to. 12 :287. 

I believe in a true republican government; but where is 
the man capable of exhibiting in their true character the prin- 
ciples of such a government? 7 10. 

The man who fights with coolness and calculation in moral 
and domestic reform will win every time. 10.205 

God and Governments — Every government not ordained 
of God, as we have just been hearing, will, in its time, crumble 
to the dust and be lost in the fog of forgetf ulness. 14 -93. 

If your eyes were opened, you would see his hand in the. 



POLITICAL GOVERNMENT 547 

midst of the nations of the earth in the setting up of govern- 
ments and in the down-fall of kingdoms — in the revolutions, 
wars, famine, distress, and wretchedness among the inhabitants 
of the earth. In these manifestations you would discern the 
footsteps of the Almighty just as plainly as you may see the 
footsteps of your children upon the soft earth. 7:144. 

Why are they thus led to sow the seeds of their own 
destruction? Because the kingdoms of this world are not 
designed to stand. When men are placed at the head of gov- 
ernment who are actually controlled by the power of God- 
by the Holy Ghost— they can lay plans, they can frame con- 
stitutions, they can form governments and laws that have not 
the seeds of death within them, and no other men can do it. 
4:267. 

In the laws of every government now on this earth, there 
are certain principles in their constitutions that will ere long 
sap the foundations of their existence; and so it will be, so long 
as men continue to persist in ruling and making laws, in regu- 
lating and controlling by human wisdom alone, and in issuing 
their mandates and sending their officers to administer laws, 
made by the wisdom of man. 4:267. 

If a nation transgresses wholesome laws and oppresses any 
of its citizens or another nation, until the cup of its iniquity 
is full, through acts that are perfectly under its own control, 
God will hurl those who are in authority from their power, 
and they will be forgotten; and he will take another people, 
though poor an-i despised, a hiss and a by-word among the 
popular nations, and instill into them power and wisdom ; and 
they will increase and prosper, until they in turn become a 
great nation on the earth. 6:146. 

Great and mighty empires are raised to the summit of 
human greatness by him, to bring to pass his inscrutable pur- 



548 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

poses, and at his pleasure they are swept from existence and 
lost in the oblivion of antiquity All these mighty changes are 
pointing to and preparing the way for the introduction of his 
Kingdom in the latter times, that will stand forever and glow 
m greatness and power until a holy, lasting, religious and 
political peace shall make the hearts of the poor among men 
exult with joy in the Holy One of Israel, and that his King- 
dom is everywhere triumphant 9 .368. 

Fitness of Rulers— No being is fit to rule, govern, and 
dictate, until he has been controlled, governed, and dictated — 
has yielded obedience to law, and proved himself worthy, by 
magnifying the law that was over him, to be master of that 
law 8:324. 

What is the reign of a king who cannot control his pas- 
sions? Will not his subjects sorrow ? Yes, they will feel the 
weight of his wrath, and their backs will ache, and their heads 
will ache, and they will receive the lash from a heavy hand 
8:324. 

Labor and Politics—Put a community in possession of 
knowledge by means of which they can obtain what they need 
by the labor of their bodies and their brains, then, instead of 
being paupers they will be free, independent and happy, and 
these distinctions of classes will cease, and there will be but 
one class, one grade, one great family. 16 20 

Do you wish to possess enlarged influence in a political 
point of view 7 Gather around you the poor and honest of 
mankind and bestow your charity on them, not by giving them 
m the way that charity is almost universally understood, but 
supply them labor that will pay an interest on the outlay of 
means and, at the same time, afford food, raiment and shelter 
to the laborer; in this way the man of means becomes a bene- 
factor'to his race. 10:193, 



POLITICAL GOVERNMENT 549 

If you wish to gain power in the minds of any people, 
give them the same opportunity that you possess to become 
independent and self-sustaining, and endow them with all the 
wisdom and knowledge that they are capable of receiving, 
and let them increase with you and unitedly grow and become 
strong. 10.190. 

Saints and Politics — I stand for Constitutional law, and 
if any transgress, let them be tried by it, and, if guilty, suffer 
its penalty. 10:109. 

I say God speed everybody that is for freedom and equal 
rights ! I am with you Whom do we want to fill our public 
offices ? We want the best men that we can find for governor, 
president and statesmen, and for every other office of trust 
and responsibility; and when we have obtained them, we 
will pray for them and give them our faith and influence to 
do the will of God and to preserve themselves and the 
people in truth and righteousness. 13 '27 Ar. 

If we live our religion, honor our God and his, Priesthood, 
then we shall honor every wholesome government and law 
there is upon the earth and become aliens to all unrighteous, 
unjust and unlawful administrators, wherever they may be 
found. In the various nations, kingdoms and governments of 
the world are to be found laws, ordinances and statutes as 
good as can be made for mortal man. 10:41. 

Are we a political people? Yes, very political indeed. But 
what party do you belong to or would you vote for ? I will 
tell you whom we will vote for : we will vote for the man who 
will sustain the principles of civil and religious liberty, the 
man who knows the most and who has the best heart and brain 
for a statesman; and we do not care a farthing whether he is a 
whig, a democrat, a barnburner, a republican, a new light or 
anything else. These are our politics. 13:149. 



550 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

If nobody will speak for us, let us speak for ourselves; if 
no person else will do anything for us, let us do something 
for ourselves. This is right; it is politically right, religiously 
right, nationally right, socially and morally right, and it is 
right m every sense of the word for us to sustain ourselves 
11 :140. 

Let those called Latter-day Saints so learn wisdom as to 
carry out the true principles of government, that they may be 
able to govern and control all things wisely. 7 .64 

The Constitution of the United States, an Inspired Docu- 
ment—We mean to sustain the Constitution of the United 
States and all righteous laws. 9.157. 

We will cling to the Constitution of our country, and to 
the government that reveres that sacred charter of freemen's 
rights, and, if necessary, pour out our best blood for the 
defense of every good and righteous principle 10 41. 

It was observed this morning that the Government of the 
United States was the best or most wholesome one on the 
earth, and the best adapted to our condition That is very 
true 2:310. 

To accuse us of being unfriendly to the Government, is to 
accuse us of hostility to our religion, for no item of inspiration 
is held more sacred with us than the Constitution under which 
she acts. As a religious society, we, in common with all other 
denominations, claim its protection. 2.175. 

The signers of the Declaration of Independence and the 
framers of the Constitution were inspired from on high to do 
that work But was that which was given to them perfect, not 
admitting of any addition whatever ? No; for if men know 
anything, they must know that the Almighty has never yet 
found a man m mortality that was capable, at the first intima- 
tion, at the first impulse, to receive 'anything in a state of 



POLITICAL GOVERNMENT 



551 



entire perfection. They laid the foundation, and it was for 
after generations to rear the superstructure upon it. It is a 
progressive — a gradual work. 7:14. 

The general Constitution of our country is good, and a 
wholesome government could be framed upon it, for it was 
dictated by the* invisible operations of the Almighty; he moved 
upon Columbus to launch forth upon the trackless deep to 
discover the American Continent; he moved upon the signers 
of the Declaration of Independence ; and he moved upon Wash- 
ington to fight and conquer, in the same way as he moved upon 
ancient and modern Prophets, each being inspired to accom- 
plish the particular work he was called to perform in the times, 
seasons, and dispensations of the Almighty. God's purpose, in 
raising up these men and inspiring them with daring sufficient 
to surmount every opposing power, was to prepare the way for 
the formation of a true republican government. They laid its 
foundation ; but when others came to build upon it, they reared 
a superstructure far short of their privileges, if they had walked 
uprightly as they should have done. 7:13. 

We believe that the Lord has been preparing that when 
he should bring forth his work, that,, when the set time should 
fully come, there might be a place upon his footstool where 
sufficient liberty of conscience should exist, that his Saints 
might dwell in peace under the broad panoply of constitutional 
law and equal rights. In this view we consider that the men 
in the Revolution were inspired by the Almighty, to throw off 
the shackles of the mother government, with her established 
religion For this cause were Adams, Jefferspn, Franklin, 
Washington, and a host of others inspired to deeds of resist- 
ance to the acts of the King of Great Britain, who might also 
have been led to those aggressive acts, for ought we know, to 
bring to pass the purposes of God, in thus establishing a new 



552 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

government upon a principle of greater freedom, a basis of self- 
government allowing the free exercise of religious worship. 

It was the voice of the Lord inspiring all those worthy men 
who bore influence m those trying times, not only to go forth 
in battle but to exercise wisdom m council, fortitude, courage, 
and endurance in the tented field, as well as subsequently to 
form and adopt those wise and efficient measures which secured 
to themselves and succeeding generations, the blessing of a free 
and independent government 

This government, so formed, has been blessed by the 
Almighty until she spreads her sails in every sea, and her 
power is felt in every land 2 -170 

This, then, is our position towards the Government of the 
United States and towards the world, to put down iniquity, 
and exalt virtue , to declare the word of God which he revealed 
unto us. and ibuild up his Kingdom upon the earth. And, 
know all men, Governments, Nations, Kindreds, Tongues, and 
People, that this is our calling, intention, and design We aim 
to livt our religion, and have communion with our God We 
aim to clear our skirts of the blood of this generation, by our 
faithfulness m preaching the truth of heaven m all plainness 
and simplicity ; and I have often said, and repeat it now, that 
all other considerations of whatever name or nature, sink into 
insignificance in comparison with this. To serve God and 
keep his commandments, are first and foremost with me. If 
this is higher law, so be it As it is with me, so should it be 
with every department of the Government; for this doctrine 
is based upon the principles of virtue and integrity ; with it, 
the Government, her Constitution, and free institutions are 
safe; without it no power can avert their speedy destruction 
It is the life giving power to the Government; it is the vital 



POLITICAL GOVERNMENT 553 

element on which she exists and prospers; in its absence she 
sinks to rise no more 2:176. 

The Saints Will Yet Save the Constitution— When the 
day comes in which the Kingdom of God will bear rule, the 
flag of the United States will proudly flutter unsullied on the 
flag staff of liberty and equal rights, without a spot to sully 
its fair surface; the glorious flag our fathers have bequeathed 
to us will then be unfurled to the breeze by those who have 
power to hoist it aloft and defend its sanctity. 2:317. 

How long will it be before the words of the prophet Joseph 
will be fulfilled? He said if the Constitution of the United 
States were saved at all it must be done iby this people. It 
will not be many years before these words come to pass. 12 :204. 

When the Constitution of the United States hangs, as it 
were, upon a single thread, they will have to call for the "Mor- 
mon" Elders to save it from utter destruction; and they will 
step forth and do it. 2:182. 

The present Constitution, with a few alterations of a trif- 
ling nature, is just as good as we want; and if it is sustained 
on this land of Joseph, it will be done by us and our posterity. 
8:324. 

I expect to see the day when the Elders of Israel will pro- 
tect and sustain civil and religious liberty and every constitu- 
tional right bequeathed to us by our fathers, and spread these 
rights abroad in connection with the Gospel for the salvation 
of all nations. I shall see this whether I live or die. 11 :262. 

Religious Liberty Should be Observed— The Govern- 
ment of the United States, and the President of the United 
States ought to treat the religion of the Latter-day Saints as 
they do Methodism, Presbyterianism,, Quakerism, Shakerism, 
and many other isms, and say, "Here, I wish you to hold your 
tongues about the 'Mormons/ for they have just as good a 



554 DISCOURSES OF BRIGEAM YOUNG 

right to their religion as you have to yours." And when the 
people petition for this or that (as the right of, petition should 
never be denied), it is the duty of those who are addressed to 
hearken to the petitions of the people 2 186. 

Are not our religious sentiments as sacred to us as to any 
other portion of the community? And should it not be the 
duty, as well as the pride, of every American citizen to extend 
that provision of the Constitution to us which he claims for 
himself? And is not that sacred instrument invaded and broken 
as much in debarring and excluding this people from its priv- 
ileges, rights, and blessings, as it would be if your rights and 
privileges were thus invaded ? No, gentlemen, we have broken 
no laws, our glorious Constitution guarantees unto us all that 
we claim Under its broad folds, in its obvious meaning and 
intents, we are safe, and can always rejoice in peace. All that 
we have ever claimed, or wish to, on the part of the Govern- 
ment, is the just administration of the powers- and privileges 
of the National Compact. 2 -172. * ' 

I pause now to ask, Had not Joseph Smith a right to prom- 
ulgate and establish a different, a new religion and form of 
worship in this Government 7 Every one must admit he had. 
This right was always held sacred, for upon it was based the 
religious liberty of every citizen of the Republic. It was a 
privilege held sacred in the bosom of every class of people , no 
judge dared invade its holy precincts. No legislator nor gov- 
ernor ventured to obstruct; the free exercise thereof. When- 
ever the iron hand of oppression and persecution has fallen 
upon this people, our opposers have broken their own laws, 
set at defiance and trampled under foot every principle of equal 
rights, justice, and liberty found written in that rich legacy of 
our fathers, The Constitution of the United States. 2:171. 

Whether our religion is believed by any other people or 



POLITICAL GOVERNMENT 555 

not, it is by us, and no power or authority in the Government 
can lawfully or righteously molest us in the peaceable and 
quiet enjoyment thereof. It cannot be dene without law, and 
surely the Government has no right to make any law con- 
cerning it, or to prevent the free exercise thereof. 2.177. 

The Government of the United States has never engaged 
in a crusade against us as a people, although she has remained 
silent, or 1 refused us, when appealed to for redress of griev- 
ances She has permitted us to be driven from our own lands, 
for which she had taken our money, and that too with her 
letters patent in our hands, guaranteeing to us peaceable pos- 
session, She has calmly 1 looked on and permitted one of the 
fundamental and dearest provisions of the Constitution to be 
broken , she has permitted us to be driven and trampled under 
foot with impunity Under these circumstances, what course 
is left for us to pursue ? I answer that, instead of seeking to 
destroy the very best Government in the world, as seems to be 
the fears of some, we, like all other good citizens, should seek 
to place those men in power who will feel the obligations and 
responsibilities they are under to a mighty people; who would 
feel and realize the important trusts reposed in them by the 
voice of the people who call them to administer law under the 
solemn sanction of an oath of fidelity to that heaven inspired 
instrument, to the inviolate preservation of which we look for 
the perpetuity of our free institutions. 2:175. 

Opposed to Corrupt Administrators of Law— I do not 
lift my voice against the great and glorious Government guar- 
anteed to every citizen by our Constitution, but against those 
corrupt administrators who trample the Constitution and just 
laws under their feet. 5 :232. 

It is a pretty bold! stand for this people to take, to say that 
they will not be controlled by the corrupt administrators of our 



556 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

general Government. We will be controlled by them, if they 
will be controlled by the Constitution and laws ; but they will 
not. Many of them do not care any more about the Constitu- 
tion and the laws that they make than they do about the laws 
of another nation. That class trample the rights of the people 
under their feet, while there are many who would like to honor 
them All we have ever asked for is our Constitutional rights. 
We wish the laws of our Government honored, and we have 
ever honored them; but they are trampled under foot by 
administrators 5 231. 

I repeat that the Constitution, laws, and institutions of 
our Government are as good as can be, with the intelligence now 
possessed by the people. But they, as also the laws of other 
nations, are too often administered m unrighteousness ; and we 
do not and cannot love and respect the acts of the administrators 
of our laws, unless they act justly in their offices. 6 344. 

The President of the United States — As I have already 
stated, the President of the United States should be a pei feet 
pattern for all the people to walk after, so also should the 
Vice-President, the members of the Cabinet, and of Congress, 
the Governors of States and Territories, and in fine, all the 
officers in the Government, be patterns for the people to 
imitate, 2 183. 

And the people should concentrate their feelings, their influ- 
ence, and their faith to select the best man they can find to be 
their President, if he has nothing more to eat than potatoes and 
salt — a man who will not aspire to become greater than the 
people who appoint him, but be contented to live as they live, 
be clothed as they are clothed, and in every good thing be one 
with them. 7:12-13. 

When the best man is elected President, let him select the 
best men he can find for his counselors or cabinet; and let all 



POLITICAL GOVERNMENT 557 

the officers within the province of the Chief Magistrate to 
appoint, be selected upon the same principle to officiate 
wisely in different parts of the nation. 6:345. 

The Government of the United States is republican in form, 
and should be in its administration, and requires a man for 
President who is capable of communicating to the understand- 
ing of the people, according to their capacity, information upon 
all points pertaining to the just administration of the Govern- 
ment. He should understand what administrative policy would 
be most beneficial to the nation. He should also have the 
knowledge and disposition to wisely exercise the appointing 
power, so far as ,it is constitutionally within his control, and 
select only good and capable men for the office. He should 
not only carry out the legal and just wishes of his constituents, 
but should be able to enlighten their understanding and correct 
their judgment And all good officers in a truly republican 
administration will constantly labor for the security of the 
rights of all, irrespective of sect or party. 7 :63. 

In the free and independent Government of the United 
States, who in the eyes of the Almighty ought to have the priv- 
ilege of sitting in the Presidential chair, to be countenanced, 
adored, loved, and reverenced in his capacity, and be justified 
therein by the heavenly hosts? It is that .man who is sanctified 
before God, and who loves the Lord Jesus with all his heart, 
or in other words, who is endowed with wisdom from on high, 
and has revelations, visions, and dreams, giving him under- 
standing to provide for the welfare of every portion of the 
nation, and a willingness to preserve to every one their fair 
and just religious rights, as well as political, for the good and 
benefit of all In the eyes of eternal justice, only such a man 
has a right to that office. They are afraid to put a man there 
who is a professor of religion, lest he favor his own party. A 



558 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

man is a fool that would do that, when he has laws to preserve 
and keep inviolate towards all religious denominations. 
2:188-189 

In our Government a President is elected for four years, 
and by custom re-elected but once, thus limiting the time of 
any one person to but eight years at most. Would it not be 
better to extend that period during life or good behavior; and 
when the people have elected the best man to that office, con- 
tinue him, in it as long as he will serve them? 

Would it not bd better for the States to elect their Gov- 
ernors upon the same principle , and if they officiate unjustly, 
hurl them from office ? If a good man is thus elected and 
continues to do his duty, he will keep m advance of the people ; 
and if he does not, he does not magnify his office. Such is 
the Kingdom of God, in comparison. 6-345. 

Is a man fit to be President of the United States, who will 
bow and succumb to the whims of the people? No A Presi- 
dent should learn the true situation of his constituents, and deal 
out even-handed justice to all, utterly regardless of the clamor 
of party. 5:126. 

We want men to rule the nation who care more for and love 
better the nations' welfare than gold and silver, fame, or 
popularity. 7 '12. 

Who is the most suitable Judge between man and man? 
The man who is the most capable of judging between right and 
wrong, let him sit upon the judgment seat, and do not ask him 
whether he is a Democrat, a Whig, a Tory, or a Republican 
Is he a just man, and will he render an impartial judgment? 
If so, I care not to what political party he belongs , I am con- 
tent that he should adjudicate between me and my neighbor. 
10 193 

Political Parties — It has been told me from my youth up 



POLITICAL GOVERNMENT 559 

that opposition is the life of business, especially in the political 
arena. It is opposition that has ruined our nation, and has 
been, is and will be the ruin of all nations. 10-190. 

When the people's affections are interwoven with a repub- 
lican government administered in all its purity, if the adminis- 
trators act not in virtue and truth it is but natural that the 
people become disaffected with mal-administration, and divide 
and sub-divide into parties, until the body politic is shivered to 
pieces. 10:108. 

Parties in our Government have no better idea than to think 
the Republic stands all the firmer upon opposition; but I say 
that it is not so. A republican government consists in letting 
the people rule by their united voice, without a dissension,— 
in learning what is for the best, and unitedly doing it That 
is true republicanism. 5 228. 

States' Rights — Suppose there is a division between the 
North and South, and the fifteen slave States try to form a 
permanent government, can they do it ? I tell you they cannot. 
How long will it be before some other States, perhaps New 
York, forms a separate government «* And if a State has a 
right to secede, so has a Territory, and so has a county from a 
State or Territory, and a town from a! county, and a family 
from a neighborhood, and you will have perfect anarchy. 8.322. 

If we are what we profess to be — a republican Govern- 
ment, there is no State in the Union "but what should be amen- 
able to the general Government holding to the old English 
rights m Rhode Island. Then Congress, with the President at 
their head, could meet and veto every act made by any depart- 
ment of the Government, if it was necessary. So let Congress 
come together when any of the States transcend the bounds of 
right and hold them amenable for their actions. The general 
Government should never give any portion of the nation license 



S60 PISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

to say they are free and independent This should only apply 
to the nation as a whole 7.13 

So it is with States and Territories Let them be unduly 
fostered and sustained by the general Government, and it will 
lead them into idleness, inactivity, and corruption; they will 
not be as spirited and active as when they are made to rely 
upon their own resources. 2 321. 

Forebodings of the Civil War— The nation that gave me 
and many of you birth is very nigh to the hours of sorrow. 
Their cup is very nigh filled to the brim. They reject the 
servants of God, they reject the Gospel of salvation; they turn 
away from the principles of truth and righteousness ; and they 
are sinking m their own sins and corruptions I would that 
they would have mercy on themselves I will pray the Lord 
to have mercy on them, but I pray them to have mercy on 
themselves to return to the Lord, forsake their wickedness and 
learn righteousness, and then God would have mercy on them, 
and bestow his blessings upon them, if they would receive them 
4 371 

What will be their condition when the Spirit of the Lord 
is withdrawn ? They will whet the knife to cut each other's 
throats, and as Brother Hooper remarked, try to make Mason 
and Dixon's the dividing line, but that will not remain, for 
they will cross it to destroy each other, and the sword and fire 
will be prevalent in the land. 8 147-8 

Yes, his mercy yearns over the Nation that has striven for 
a score of years to rid the earth of the Priesthood of the Son 
of God and to destroy the last Saint He has mercy upon 
them, he bears with them, he pleads with them by his Spirit, 
and occasionally sends his angels to administer to them. Marvel 
not, then, that I pray for every soul that can be saved. 8 124 



POLITICAL GOVERNMENT 561 

War— If I had my wish, I should entirely stop the shed- 
ding of human blood. 10.108. 

There is a spirit which prompts the nations to prepare for 
war, desolation, and bloodshed — to waste each other away 
8 174. 

From the authority of all history, the deadly weapons now 
stored up and being manufactured will be used until the people 
are wasted away, and there is no help for it The spirit of 
revolution goes on through the nations: it never goes back 
8:157. 

Do not be discouraged when you hear of wars, and rumors 
of wars, and tumults, and contentions, and fighting, and blood- 
shed ; for behold they are at the thresholds of our doors. 4 *369 

Does one nation rise up to war with another without having 
motives, and those which they will substantiate as being good 
and sufficient ? Will one people rise up to war with another 
people, except the motive that moves them is of a nature to 
justify them in their own minds and judgment for doing so? 
No There is not a people upon the face of this earth that 
would do so ; they all calculate to do that which seemeth good 
to them. 3 88. 

The difficulty with the whole world in their divisions and 
sub-divisions, is that they have no more confidence in each 
other than they have in their God, and that is none at all, no, 
not one particle This confuses nations, and breaks them up , 
it weakens them, and they tumble to pieces. It disturbs cities 
and countries, and really the seeds of destruction are within 
those kingdoms where the people have not confidence m each 
other. 4 296. 

Wars, commotions, tumults, strife, nation contending 
against nation, and people against people, have all been gov- 



562 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

erned and controlled by him whose right it is to control such 
matters. 

Among wicked nations, or among Saints, among the ancient 
Israelites, Philistines, and Romans, the hand of the Lord was 
felt; in short, all the powers that have been upon the earth, 
have been dictated, governed, controlled, and the final issue of 
their existence has been brought to pass, according to the wis- 
dom of the Almighty Then my testimony is, it is all right 
1 163 

Of one thing I am sure; God never institutes war; God 
is not the author of confusion or of war; they are the results 
of the acts of the children of men Confusion and war neces- 
sarily come as the results of the foolish acts and policy of men ; 
but they do not come because God desires they should come 
If the people, generally, would turn to the Lord, there would 
never be any war. Let men turn from their iniquities and sins, 
and, instead of being" covetous and wicked, turn to God and 
seek to promote peace and happiness throughout the land, and 
wars would cease. We expect to see the day when swords 
shall be turned into ploughshares, spears into pruning hooks, 
and when men shall learn war no more. This is what we want. 
We are for peace, plenty and happiness to all the human family. 
13.149 

Our traditions have been such that we are not apt to look 
upon war between two nations as murder; but suppose that 
one family should rise up against another and begin to slay 
them, would they not be taken up and tried for murder? Then 
why not nations that rise up and slay each other in a scientific 
way be equally guilty of murder ? "But observe the martial 
array, how splendid f See the furious war horses, with their 
glittering trappings. Then the honor and glory and pride of 
the reigning king must be sustained, and the strength and power 



POLITICAL GOVERNMENT 563 

and wealth of the nation must be displayed in some way ; and 
what better way than to make war upon neighboring nations, 
under some slight pretext?" Does it justify the slaying of 
men, women, and children that otherwise would have remained 
at home in peace, because a great army is doing the work? No : 
the guilty, will be damned for it. 7 :137. 

The very Indians who massacre men, women, and children 
on the plains, have their religious ceremonies and pray to their 
God for success in killing men, women, and children. The 
French and Austrians meet and slay one another by hundreds 
and thousands ; and thousands of women and children who were 
not engaged in battle are also sacrificed by the folly of those 
Christian wars. The instigators of those wars are just as 
guilty of murder, before God, as the Indians are for killing the 
men, women, and children who afe passing through their 
country. What is the difference in the eyes of our Father and 
God ? It is just as much murder to kill, unjustly, a million at 
a Wow as it is to kill one, though Dr. Young has stated that 
"One murder makes a villain ; millions make a hero." Were I 
to make war upon an innocent people, because I had the power, 
to possess myself of their territory, their silver, gold, and other 
property, and be the cause of slaying, say fifty thousand strong, 
hale, hearty men, and devolving consequent suffering upon 
one hundred thousand women and children, who would suffer 
through privation and want, I am very much more guilty of 
murder than is the man who kills only one person to obtain his 
pocket-book. 7:137. 

Woman Suffrage—Now, sisters, I want you to vote also, 
because women are the characters that rule the ballot box. 
1 :218. 



CHAPTER XXXII 

DEATH AND RESURRECTION 

The Body Must Return to Mother Earth — Every person 
possessing the principle of eternal life should look upon his 
body as of the earth earthy Our bodies must return to their 
mother earth. True, to most people it is a wretched thought 
that our spirits must, for a longer or shorter period, be sep- 
arated from our bodies, and thousands and millions have been 
subject to this affliction throughout .their, lives If they under- 
stood the design of this probation and the true principles of 
eternal life, it is but a small matter for the body toi suffer and 
die. 7-240. 

The Lord, has pleased to organize tabernacles here, and put 
spirits into them, and they then become intelligent beings. By 
avA by, sooner or later, the body, this that is tangible to you, 
that you can feel, see, handle, etc , returns to its mother dust. 
Is the spirit dead? No. You believe the spirit still exists, 
when this body has crumbled to the earth again, and the spirit 
that God puts into the tabernacle goes into the world of spirits. 
What is their situation? Is there any 'opportunity for them 
whatever? Yes, there is. 2:138. 

"Well," says Mr. B. : "If you have got this great power, and 
can heal the sick by the laying on of hands, come with me and 
heal the sick in our neighborhood : or how is it that any of you 
'Mormons' die at all?" Take your time, Mr. B. The Bible 
teaches me I am dust, and to dust I must return. It is not for 
me to thwart the plans of Jehovah, or do away with any item 
of doctrine the Lord has taught me. From dust I am, and to 
dust I must return. So it is with the rest of us, we shall all die 
and be buried in the silent grave. 1 :240. 



DEATH AND RESURRECTION 565 

We shall suffer no more in putting off this flesh and leaving 
the spirit houseless than the child, in its capacity, does in its 
first efforts to breathe the breath of this mortal life 8.28. 

Our bodies are composed of visible, tangible matter, as you 
all understand; you also know that they are born into this 
world. They then begin to partake of the elements adapted 
to their organization and growth, increase to manhood, become 
old, decay, and pass again into the dust. Now in the first place, 
though I have explained this many times, what we call death 
is the operation of life, inherent in the matter of which the 
body is composed, and which causes the decomposition after 
the spirit has left the body Were that not the fact, the body, 
from which has fled the spirit, would remain to all eternity, 
just as it was when the spirit left it, and would not decay. 

What is commonly called death does not destroy the body, 
it only causes a separation of spirit and body, but the principle 
of life, inherent in the native elements, of which the body is 
composed, still continues with the particles of that body and 
causes it to decay, to dissolve itself into the elements of which 
it was composed, and all of which continues to have life When 
the spirit given to man leaves the body, the tabernacle begins 
to decompose Is that death? No, death only separates the 
spirit and body, and a principle of life still operates in the 
untenanted tabernacle, but in a different way, and producing 
different effects from those observed while it was tenanted by 
the spirit. There is not a particle of element which is not filled 
with life, and all space is filled with element ; there is 'no such 
thing as empty space, though some philosophers contend that 
there is. 

Life in various proportions, combinations, conditions, etc , 
fills all matter. Is there life in a tree when it ceases to put 
forth leaves? You see it standing upright, and when it ceases 



566 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

to bear leaves and fruit you say it is dead, but that lsl a mis- 
take. It still has life, but that life opeiates upon the tree in 
another way, and continues to operate until it resolves it to the 
native elements It is life m another condition that begins to 
operate upon man, upon animal, upon vegetation, and upon 
minerals when we see the change termed dissolution. There is 
life m the material of the fleshly tabernacle, independent of the 
spirit given of God to undergo this probation There is life 
in all matter, throughout the vast extent of all the eternities, 
it is in the rock, the sand, the dust, m water, air, the gases, and 
in short, in every description and organization of matter, 
whether it be solid, liquid, or gaseous, particle operating with 
particle. 

I have heard some philosophers argue that because no body 
could move without displacing other matter, therefore there 
must be empty space. That reasoning is nonsense to me, 
because eternity is, was, and will continue to be full of matter 
and life We put a ship in motion on the water, and have we 
created an empty space ? No, we have only changed the position 
of matter Men and animals move upon the earth, birds and 
fishes cleave the elements they are organized to operate in, but 
do they leave a track of empty space? No, for all eternity is 
full of matter and life. True, element is capable of contraction 
and expansion, but that does not by any means imply empty 
space You see life in human beings and in the growing vege- 
tation, and when that spirit of life departs, another condition 
of life at once begins to operate upon the organization which 
remains. By way of illustration I will quote one passage from 
the Book of Job, who m his afflictions was visited by several 
friends, and after he had concluded that they were all miserable 
comforters, he exclaimed, "Though worms destroy this body, 
yet m my flesh shall I see God." To make this passage clearer 



DEATH AND RESURRECTION" 567 

to your comprehension, I will paraphrase it, Though my spirit 
leave my body, and though worms destroy its present organ- 
ization, yet in the morning of the resurrection I shall behold 
the face of my Savior, in this same tabernacle; that is my 
understanding of the idea so briefly expressed by Job. 3 .276-7 

Man Should Live Out His Days — It is not the design 
of the Father that the earthly career of any should terminate 
until they have lived out their days , and the reason that so few 
do live out their days is because of the force of sin in the world 
and the power of death over the human family To these 
causes, and not to the design of the Creator, may be attributed 
the fact that disease stalks abroad, laying low the aged, middle- 
aged, youth, and infants, and the human family generally by 
millions 14 230. 

So live that when you wake in the spirit-world you can 
truthfully say, "I could not better my mortal life, were I to 
live it over again." I exhort you, for the sake of the House of 
Israel, for the sake of Zion which we are to build up, to so live, 
from this time, henceforth, and forever, that your characters 
may with pleasure be scrutinized by holy beings. Live godly 
lives, which you cannot do without living moral lives 8-164* 

We Should Not Mourn for the Righteous Dead— Those 
who have honored their calling and Priesthood to the end die 
in the Lord, and their works do follow them. 13 .75. 

It is a great cause of joy and rejoicing and comfort to his 
friends to know that a person has passed away in peace from 
this life, and has secured to himself a glorious resurrection. 
The earth and the fulness of the earth and all that pertains to 
this earth in an earthly capacity is no comparison with the 
glory, joy and peace and happiness of the soul that departs in 
peace. 12:186. 

Mourning for the righteous dead springs from the ignorance 



568 DISCOURSES OF BSIGHAM YOUNG 

and weakness that are planted within the mortal tabernacle, the 
organization of this house for the spirit to dwell in. No matter 
what pain we suffer, no matter what we pass through, we cling 
to our mother earth, and dislike to have any of her children 
leave us We love to keep together the social family relation 
that we bear one to another, and do not like to part with each 
other, but could we have knowledge and see into eternity, if 
we were perfectly free from the weakness, blindness, and 
lethargy with which we are clothed in the flesh, we should have 
no disposition to weep or mourn. 4*131. 

Nothing remains here for us but to pay our last respects to 
that which came from mother earth. It was formed and fash- 
ioned and the spirit was put into it, and it has grown and 
become what it is, and the spirit having departed, the body lies 
ready to return to the bosom of its mother, there to rest until 
the morning of the resurrection. But the life and intelligence 
which once dwelt in that body still live, and Sister Aureha 
moves, talks, walks, enjoys and beholds that which we cannot 
enjoy and behold while we are in these tabernacles of clay 
She is in glory , she has passed 'the ordeals and has reached a 
position in which the power of Satan has no influence upon 
her. The advantage of this Priesthood is that when persons 
yield obedience to it, they secure to themselves the sanction of 
him who is its author, and who has bestowed it upon the chil- 
dren of men. His power is around them and defends them , 
and when they pass into the spirit world they are out of the 
reach of the power of Satan v Where the pure in heart are the 
wicked cannot come. This is the state of the spirit world. 
14-229. 

When death is past, the power of Satan has no more influ- 
ence over a faithful individual, that spirit is free, and can 
command the power of Satan ' The penalty demanded by the 



DEATH AND RESURRECTION 569 

fall has been fully paid ; all is accomplished pertaintaing to it, 
when the tabernacle of a faithful person is returned to the 
earth. All that was lost is passed away, and that person will 
again receive his body. When he is in the spirit world, he is 
free from those contaminating and condemning influences of 
Satan that we are now subject to. Here our bodies are subject 
to being killed by our enemies — our names to being cast out 
as evil. We are persecuted, hated, not beloved : though I pre- 
sume that we are as much beloved here as the spirits of the 
Saints are in the spirit world by those spirits who hate right- 
eousness. It is the same warfare, but we will have power 
over them Those who have passed through the veil have 
power over the evil spirits to command, and they must obey. 
7:240-241. 

Shall we rejoice that we have the opportunity of paying 
the last respects due to -this lifeless clay, which a few days ago 
was alive and active, full of spirit, attending the High Council, 
giving decisions full of knowledge? Yes, we will 'rejoice. It 
is a matter of rejoicing more than the day of his birth. It is 
true it is grievous to part with our friends. We are creatures 
of passion, of sympathy, of love, and it is painful for us to 
part with our friends We would keep them in the mortal 
house, though they should suffer pain Are we not selfish in 
tmV Should we not rather rejoice at the departure of those 
whose lives have been devoted to doing good, to a good old 
age ? Brother Spencer has lived beyond what is counted to be 
the common age of man some four or five years; his judgment 
was as active as it was twenty-five years ago. He has been 
faithful in this holy war He instructed all with whom he 
met in the way of life. He never gave counsel but what marked 
the way to life everlasting. 13:75. 

Our Identity Will Be Preserved— And the thought of 



570 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHA.M YOUNG 

being annihilated — of being blotted out of existence— is most 
horrid, even to that class called infidels. 5 '53. 

This intelligence must endure We must preserve our 
identity before the Lord, who has sent his Son and angels, 
and is sending the Holy Ghost, and his ministers, and levela- 
tions, to comfort, cheer, guide, and direct the affairs of his 
Kingdom on the earth. 8*155. 

I am after life, I want to preserve my identity, so that you 
can see Brigham in the eternal worlds just as you see him now 
I want to see that eternal principle of life dwelling within us 
which will exalt us eternally in the presence of our Father and 
God. 7 57. 

The Gospel of life and salvation reveals to each individual 
who receives it that this world is only a place of temporary 
duration, existence, trials, etc. Its present fashion and uses 
are but for a few days, while we were created to exist eternally 
The wicked can see no further than this world is concerned 
We understand that when we are unclothed in this present state, 
then we are prepared to be clothed upon with immortality — 
that when we put off these bodies we put on immortality 
These bodies will return to dust, but our hope and faith are 
that we will receive these bodies again from the elements — 
that we will receive the very organization that we have here, 
and that, if we are faithful to the principles of freedom, we 
shall then be prepared to endure eternally. 5 .53. 

Our Bodies Will be Resurrected— After the spirit leaves 
the body, it remains without a tabernacle m the spirit world 
until the Lord, by his law that he has ordained, brings to pass 
the resurrection of the dead When the angel who holds the keys 
of the resurrection shall sound his trumpet, then the peculiar 
fundamental particles that organized our bodies here, if we do 
honor to them, though they be deposited in the depths of the 



DEATH AND RESURRECTION 57 1 

sea, and though one particle is in the north, another m the 
south, another in the east, and another in the west, will be 
brought together again in the twinkling of an eye, and our 
spirits will take possession of them We shall then be pre- 
pared to dwell with the Father and the Son, and we never can 
be prepared to dwell with them until then. Spirits, when they 
leave their bodies, do not dwell with the Father and the Son, 
but live in the Spirit world, where there are places prepared 
for them. Those who do honor to their tabernacles, and love 
and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, must put off this mortality, 
or they cannot put on immortality This body must be changed, 
else it cannot be prepared to dwell in the glory of the Father. 
8 28. 

The only true riches in existence are for you and me to 
secure for ourselves a holy resurrection. 1 *272. 

After the body and spirit are separated by death, what, per- 
taining to this earth, shall we receive first? The body; that is 
the first object of a divine affection beyond the grave. We 
first come m possession of the body. The spirit has overcome 
the body, and the body is made subject in every respect to that 
divine principle God has planted in the person. The spirit 
withm is pure and holy, and goes back pure and holy to God, 
dwells in the spirit world pure and holy, and, by and by, will 
have the privilege of coming and taking the body again. Some 
person holding the keys of the resurrection, having previously 
passed through that ordeal, will be delegated to resurrect our 
bodies, and our spirits will be there and prepared to enter into 
their bodies. Then, when we are prepared to receive our 
bodies, they are the first earthly objects that bear divinity 
personified in the capacity of the man. Only the body dies , 
the spirit is looking forth. 9:139. 

But this our place of abode is only temporary , we are on a 



572 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

journey; we have only to winter and summer, as it were. 
Brother Grant has got through here, and has gone to his spirit- 
ual place of abode for a season Not that he has reached his 
journey's end, nor will he, until he has again received this body 
that now lies -before me. Every material part and portion 
pertaining to his body, to the temporal organization that con- 
stitutes the man, will clothe his spirit again, before he is pre- 
pared to receive the place and habitation that is prepared for 
him; yet he has gone to his spiritual home for a season 4 :129 

Yes, we will lay down these bodies in the grave. What 
for ? That the dust, our mother earth, that composes the house 
of the spirit, may be purified by passing through this ordeal, 
and be prepared to be called up and united with the intelligent 
heavenly body that God has prepared. This is nothing but a 
change It is not the dissolution of the creature ; it is merely 
putting off the flesh that pertains to this world. 

The particles of this earth that now compose this body will 
be rearranged, and the spirit will be clothed with an immortal 
tabernacle Let the spirit reign predominant over the flesh, 
and bring into subjection the whole man, every feeling and 
every desire of his heart, and let him be devoted wholly, body 
and spirit, to the end for which he has been created. When 
the flesh is brought into subjection, it is made worthy through 
that means. 8 :43. 

We are here in circumstances to bury our dead according 
to the order of the Priesthood. But some of our brethren die 
upon the ocean ; they cannot be buried in a burying ground, but 
they are sewed up in canvas and cast into the sea, and perhaps 
in two minutes after they aie m the bowels of the shark, yet 
those persons will come forth in the resurrection, and receive 
all the glory of which they are worthy, and be clothed upon with 
all the beauty of resurrected Saints, as much so as if they had 



DEATH AND RESURRECTION 573 

been laid away m a gold or silver coffin, and in a place ex- 
pressly for burying the dead. 9 193 

The resurrection from the dead may also, with propriety, 
be called a birth. 8 .260. 

The blood he spilled upon Mount Calvary he did not receive 
again into his veins. That was poured out, and when he was 
resurrected, another element took the place of the blood. It 
will be so with every person who receives a resurrection; the 
blood will not be resurrected with the body, being designed only 
to sustain the life of the present organization When that is 
dissolved, and we again obtain our bodies by the power of the 
lesurrection, that which we now call the life of the body, and 
which is formed from the food we eat and the water we drink 
will be supplanted by another element , for flesh and blood can- 
not inherit the Kingdom of God. 7.163 

Jesus, the First Fruits of the Resurrection— Jesus is the 
first begotten from the dead, as you will understand. Neither 
Enoch, Elijah, Moses, nor any other man that ever lived on 
earth, no matter how strictly he lived, ever obtained a resur- 
rection until after Jesus Christ's body was called from the tomb 
by the angel He was the first begotten from the dead He is 
the Master of the resurrection— the first flesh that lived here 
after receiving the glory of the resurrection, 8:260. 

You read about a first resurrection. If there is a first, there 
is a second And if a second, may theie not be a third, and a 
fourth, and so on > Yes ; andj happy are they who have a part 
in the first resurrection. Yes, more blessed are they than any 
others. But blessed also are they that will have part in the sec- 
ond resurrection, for they will be brought forth to enjoy a 
kingdom that is more glorious than the sectarian world ever 
dreamed of 7 :28>7. 

The Resurrected Body— We bear the 'image of our 



574 DISCOURSES OF BRTGHAM YOUNG 

earthly parents in their fallen state, but by obedience to the 
Gospel of salvation, and the renovating influences of the Holy 
Ghost, and the holy resurrection, we shall put on the image of 
the heavenly, in beauty glory, power and goodness Jesus 
Christ was so like his Father that on one occasion in answer 
to a request, "Show us the Father," he said, "He that hath seen 
me hath seen the Father " 11 '123. 

In the resurrection everything that is necessary will be 
brought from the elements to clothe and to beautify the resur- 
rected Samts, who will receive their reward I do not trouble 
myself about my dead. If they are stripped of their clothing, 
I do not want to know it 9:192. 

When the body comes forth again, it will be divine, God- 
like according to the capacity and oidinations of the Lord 
Some are fore-ordained to one station, and some to another 
We want a house, and when we get it and our spirits enter into 
it, then we can begin to look forth— for what? For our friends. 
We want them resurrected. Here is this friend and that friend, 
until by and by all are resurrected. And the earth is resur- 
rected ? Yes, and every living thing on the earth that has 
abided the law by which it was made. Then that which you and 
I respect, are fond of, and love with an earthly love, will become 
divine, and we can then love it with that affection which it is 
not now worthy of. 9.140. 

Our bodies are now mortal In the resurrection there will 
be a reunion of the spirits and bodies, and they will walk, talk, 
eat, drink, and enjoy Those who have passed these ordeals are 
society for angels — for the Gods, and are the ones who will 
come into the Temple of the Loid that is to be built in the 
latter days, when saviors shall come up upon Mount Zion, and 
will say, "Here, my children, I want this and this done Here 
are the names of such and such ones, of our fathers, and moth- 



DEATH AND RESURRECTION 575 

ers — our ancestors ; we will bring them up. Go forth, you who 
have not passed the ordeals of death and the resurrection — 
you who live in the flesh, and attend to the ordinances for those 
who have died without the law " Those who are resurrected 
will thus dictate in the temple. When the Saints pass through 
death, they cannot officiate in this sinful world, but they will 
dictate those who are here. "Go, now, and be baptized for the 
honorable — for those who would have received the law of God 
and the true religion, if they had lived; be baptized for the 
heathen — for all who were honest ; officiate for them, and save 
them, and bring them up. Be baptized for them, anointed for 
them, washed and sealed for them, and fulfil all the ordinances 
which cannot be dispensed with." They will all be performed 
for the living and the dead upon Mount Zion. 8 -225. 

Resurrection Necessary to Full Salvation — No man can 
enter the celestial kingdom and be crowned with a celestial 
glory, until he gets his resurrected body; but Joseph and the 
faithful who have died have gained a victory over the power 
of the Devil, which you and I have not yet gained. So long as 
we live in these tabernacles, so long we will be subject to the 
temptations and power of the Devil; but when we lay them 
down, if we) have been faithful, we have gained the victory so 
far ; but even then we are not so far advanced at once as to be 
beyond the neighborhood of evil spirits. 3 :371. 



CHAPTER XXXIII 
THE SPIRIT WORLD 

All Go to the Spirit World— When we get through this 
state of being, to the next room, I may call it, we are not 
going to stop there. We shall still go on, doing all the good 
we can, administering and officiating for all whom we are 
permitted to administer and officiate for, and then go on to 
the next, and to the next, until the Lord shall crown all who 
have been faithful on this earth, and the work pertaining 
to the earth is finished, and the Savior, whom we have been 
helping, has completed his task, and the earth, with all things 
pertaining to it, is presented to the Father. Then these 
faithful ones will receive their blessings and crowns, and 
their inheritances will be set off to them and be given to 
them, and they will then go on, worlds upon worlds, in- 
creasing for ever and ever. 16:70. 

No spirit of Saint or sinner, of the Prophet or him that 
kills the Prophet, is prepared for their final state; all pass 
through the veil from this state and go into the world of 
spirits ; and there they dwell waiting for their final destiny. 
6:294. 

Where Is the Spirit World— Is the spirit world here? It 
is not beyond the sun, but is on this earth that was organ- 
ized for the people that have lived and that do and will 
live upon it. No other people can have it, and we can have 
no other kingdom until we are prepared to inhabit this 
eternally. 3 :372. 

When you lay down this tabernacle, where are you 
going? Into the spiritual world. Are you going into Abra- 
ham's bosom? No, not anywhere nigh there but 



THE SPIRIT WORLD 



577 



into the spirit world. Where is the spirit world? 
It is right here Do the good and evil spirits 
go together ? Yes, they do. Do they both inhabit one king- 
dom ? Yes, they do. Do they go to the sun ? No. Do they 
go beyond the boundaries of the organized earth? No, they 
do not. They are brought forth upon this earth, for the 
express purpose of inhabiting it to all eternity Where else 
are you going? Nowhere else, only as you may be per- 
mitted. 3.369 

You are in the presence of God, and when your eyes are 
opened you will understand it Brother Grant's spirit is in 
the presence of God; and he is with Joseph, when he is not 
required to be somewhere else. He is at work for the bene- 
fit of Zion, for that is all the business that Joseph and the 
Elders of this Church have on hand 4 :133 

It reads that the spirit goes to God who gave it. Let 
me render this scripture a little plainer, when the spirits 
leave their bodies they are in the presence of our Father 
and God, they are prepared then to see, hear and under- 
stand spiritual things. But where is the spirit world? It 
is incorporated within this celestial system. Can you see it 
with your natural eyes? No Can you see spirits in this 
room? No. Suppose the Lord should touch your eyes that 
you might see, could you then see the spirits? Yes, as 
plainly as you now see bodies, as did the servant of Elijah. 
If the Lord would permit it, and it was his will that it 
should be done, you could see the spirits that have de- 
parted from this world, as plainly as you now see bodies 
with your natural eyes 3 .368. 

The Prophet lays down his body, he lays down his life, 
and his spirit goes to the world of spirits ; the persecutor of 
the Prophet dies, and he goes to Hades; they both go to 



578 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

one place, and they are not to be separated yet. Now under- 
stand, that this is part of the great sermon the Lord is 
preaching in his providence, the righteous and the wicked 
are together in Hades 

If we go back to our mother country, the States, we find 
there the righteous, and we there find the wicked, if we 
go to California, we there find the righteous and the 
wicked; all dwelling together ; and when we go beyond this 
veil, and leave our bodies which were taken from mother 
earth, and which must return, our -spirits will pass beyond 
the veil; we go where both Saints and' sinners go, they all 
go to one place 3 94 

If the wicked wish to escape from his presence, they 
must go where ,he is not, where he does not live, where 
his influence does not preside. To find such a place is im- 
possible, except they go beyond the bounds of time and 
space. 2 94 

Labors in the Spirit World— They must go into prison, 
both Saints and sinners. The good and bad, the righteous 
and the unrighteous must go to the house of prison, or 
Paradise, and Jesus went and opened the doors of salvation 
to them. And unless they lost the keys of salvation on ac- 
count of transgression, as has been the case on this earth, 
spirits clothed with the Priesthood have ministered to them 
from that day to this. And if they lost the keys by trans- 
gression, some one who had been in the flesh, Joseph, for 
instance, had to take those keys to them And he is call- 
ing one after another to his aid, as the Lord sees he wants 
help. 4 285. 

Compare those inhabitants on the earth who have heard 
the Gospel in our day, with the millions who have never 
heard it, or had the keys of salvation presented to them, and 



THE SPIRIT WORLD 579 

you will conclude at once as I do, that there is an almighty 
work to perform in the spirit world. Joseph has not yet got 
through there. When he finishes his mission in the spirit 
world, he will be resurrected, but he has not yet done there. 
Reflect upon the millions and millions and millions of people 
that have lived and died without hearing the Gospel on the 
earth, without the keys of the Kingdom. They were not pre- 
pared for celestial glory, and there was no power that could 
prepare them without the keys of this Priesthood. 4 285. 

Jesus was the first man that ever went to preach to the 
spirits in prison, holding the keys of the Gospel of salva- 
tion to them. Those keys were delivered to him in the day 
and hour that he went into the spirit world, and with them 
he opened the door of salvation to the spirits in prison 
3 370 

Father Smith and Carlos and Brother Partridge, yes, and 
every other good Saint, are just as busy in the spirit world 
as you and I are here They can see us, but we cannot see 
them unless our eyes were opened What are they doing 
there? They are preaching, preaching all the time, and pre- 
paring the way for us to hasten our work in building tem- 
ples here and elsewhere, and to go back to Jackson County 
and build the great temple of the Lord. They are hurrying 
to get ready by the time we are ready, and we are all hurry- 
ing to get ready by the time our Elder Brother is ready. 
3 369-370. 

When men overcome as our faithful brethren have, and 
go where they see Joseph, who will dictate them and be 
their head and Prophet all the time, they have power over 
all disembodied evil spirits, for they have overcome them. 
Those evil spirits are under the command and control of 
every man that has had the Priesthood on him, and has 



580 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

honored it in the flesh, just as much as my hand is under 
my control. 4-132 

Every faithful man's labor will continue as long as the 
labor of Jesus, until all things are redeemed that can be re- 
deemed, and presented to the Father. There is a great work 
before us 13 77. 

• The spirits that dwell in these tabernacles on this earth, 
when they leave them go directly into this world of spirits 
What ! A congregated mass of inhabitants there in spirit, 
mingling with each other, as they do here? Yes, brethren, 
they are there together, and if they associate together, and 
collect together, in clans and in societies as they do here, it 
is their privilege No doubt they yet, more or less, see, 
hear, converse and have to do with each other, both good 
and bad If the Elders of Israel in these latter times go 
and preach to the spirits in prison, they associate with them, 
precisely as our Elders associate with the wicked m the 
flesh, when they go to preach to them. 2 :137. 

If a person is baptized for the remission of sins, and dies 
a short time thereafter, he is not prepared at once to enjoy 
a fulness of the glory promised to the faithful in the Gospel ; 
for he must be schooled, while in the spirit, in the other de- 
partments of the house of God, passing on from truth to 
truth, from intelligence to intelligence, until he is prepared 
to again receive his body and to enter into the presence of 
the Father and the Son. We cannot enter into celestial 
glory in our present state of ignorance and mental darkness 
7:332. 

Suppose, then, that a man is evil in his heart — wholly 
given up to wickedness, and in that condition dies, his spirit 
will enter the spirit world intent upon evil. On the other 
hand, if we are striving with all the powers and faculties 



THE SPIRIT WORLD 581 

God has given us to improve upon our talents, to prepare 
ourselves to dwell in eternal life, and the grave receives our 
bodies while we are thus engaged, with what disposition 
will our spirits enter their next state? They will be still 
striving to do the things of God, only in a much greater 
degree — learning, increasing, growing in grace and in the 
kowledge of the truth. 7 333. 

If we are faithful to our religion, when we go into the 
spirit world, the fallen spirits— Lucifer and the third part of 
the heavenly hosts that came with him, and the spirits of 
wicked men who have dwelt upon this earth, the whole of 
them combined will have no influence over our spirits Is 
not that an advantage ? Yes. All. the rest of the children 
of men are more or less subject to them, and they are sub- 
ject to them as they were while here in the flesh. 7 .240. 

Spirits are just as familiar with spirits as bodies are with 
bodies, though spirits are composed of matter so refined as 
not to be tangible to this coarser organization. They walk, 
converse, and have their meetings; and the spirits of good 
men like Joseph and the Elders, who have left this Church 
on earth for a season to operate in another sphere, are 
rallying all their powers and going from place to place 
preaching the Gospel, and Joseph is directing them, saying, 
go ahead, my brethren, and if they hedge up your way, 
walk up and command them to disperse. You have the 
Priesthood and can disperse them, but if any of them wish 
to hear the Gospel, preach to them. 

Can they baptize them? No What can they do? They 
can preach the Gospel, and when we have the privilege of 
building up Zion, the time will come for saviors to come up 
on Mount Zion. Some of those who are not in mortality will 
come along and say, "Here are a thousand names I wish you 



582 DISCOURSES OF BSIGHAM YOUNG 

to attend to in this temple, and when you have got through 
with them I will give you another thousand;" and the 
Elders of Israel and their wives will go forth to officiate 
for their forefathers, the men for the men, and the women 
for the women. 3 '371-372. 

Life in the Spirit World— We have more friends behind 
the veil than on this side, and they will hail us more joy- 
fully than you were ever welcomed by your parents and 
friends in this world; and you will rejoice more when you 
meet them than you ever rejoiced to see a friend in this 
life; and then we shall go on from step to step, from re- 
joicing to rejoicing, and from one intelligence and power 
to another, our happiness becoming more and more ex- 
quisite and sensible as we proceed in the words and powers 
of life. 6 '349. 

When the breath leaves the body, your life has not be- 
come extinct; your life is still in existence. And when you 
are in the spirit world, everything there will appear as nat- 
ural as things now do Spirits will be familiar with spirits 
in the spirit world— will converse, behold, and exercise 
every variety of communication with one another as famil- 
iarly and naturally as while here in tabernacles There, as 
here, all things will be natural, and you will understand 
them as you now understand natural things. You will there 
see that those spirits we are speaking of are active; they 
sleep not. And you will learn that they are striving with 
all their might— laboring and toiling diligently as any in- 
dividual would to accomplish an act m this world — to 
destroy the children of men. 7-239 

I can say with regard to parting with our friends, and 
going ourselves, that I have been near enough to under- 
stand eternity so that I have had to exercise a great deal 



THE SPIRIT WORLD 583 

more faith to desire to live than I ever exercised in my 
whole life to live The brightness and' glory of the next 
apartment is inexpressible It is not encumbered so that 
when we advance in years we have to be stubbing along 
and be careful lest we fall down We see our youth, even, 
frequently stubbing their toes and falling down But yonder, 
how different! They move with ease and like lightning 
If we want to visit Jerusalem, or this, that, or the other 
place — and I presume we will be permitted if we desire — 
there we are, looking at its streets If we want to behold 
Jerusalem as it was in the days of the Savior ; or if we want 
to see the Garden of Eden as it was when created, there we 
are, and we see it as it existed spiritually, for it was created 
first spiritually and then temporally, and spiritually it still 
remains And when there we may behold the earth as at the 
dawn of creation, or we may visit any city we plea&e that 
exists upon its surface. If we wish to understand how they 
are living here on "these western islands, or in China, we 
are there ; in fact, we are like the light of the morning, or, I 
will not say the electric fluid, but its operations on the 
wires. God has revealed some little things with regard to 
his movements and power, and the operation and motion 
of the lightning furnish a fine illustration of the ability of 
the Almighty. 

When we pass into the spirit world we shall possess a 
measure of this power. Here, we are continually troubled 
with ills and ailments of various kinds In the spirit world 
we are free from all this and enjoy life, glory, and intelli- 
gence; and we have the Father to speak to us, Jesus to 
speak to us, and angels to speak to us, and we shall enjoy 
the society of the just and the pure who are in the spirit 
world until the resurrection. 14.231. 



CHAPTER XXXIV 
ETERNAL JUDGMENT 

Judgment According to Works — This is a subject I have 
reflected upon a great deal, and I have come to the conclu- 
sion that we shall be judged according to the deeds done in 
the body and according to the thoughts and intents of the 
heart. 14.99. . 

There are none ticketed for the pit, unless they fill up 
that ticket themselves through their own misconduct. 4 :268. 

I do know that the trying day will soon come to you 
and to me; and ere long we will have to lay down these 
tabernacles and go into the spirit world. And I do know 
that as we lie down, so judgment will find us, and that is 
scriptural; "as the tree falls so it shall lie," or, in other 
words, as death leaves us so judgment will find us. 4:52. 

The sectarian doctrine of final rewards and punishments 
is as strange to me as their bodyless, partless, and passion- 
less God. Every man will receive according to the deeds 
done in the body, whether they be good or bad. All men, 
excepting those who sin against the Holy Ghost, who shed 
innocent blood or who consent thereto, will be saved in 
some kingdom; for in my Father's house, says Jesus, are 
many mansions. 11:125. 

How many kingdoms there are has not been told to us ; 
they are innumerable. The disciples of Jesus were to dwell 
with him. Where will the rest go? Into kingdoms pre- 
pared for them, where they will live and endure. Jesus will 
bring forth, by his own redemption, every son and daugh- 
ter of Adam, except the sons of perdition, who will be cast 
into hell. Others will suffer the wrath of God — will suffer 



ETERNAL JUDGMENT 585 

all the Lord can demand at their hands, or justice can re- 
quire of them ; and when they have suffered the wrath of 
God till the utmost farthing is paid, they will be brought 
out of prison. Is this dangerous doctrine to preach? Some 
consider it dangerous , but it is true that every person who 
does not sin away the day of grace, and become an angel to 
the Devil, will be brought forth to inherit a kingdom of 
glory. 8:154 

How many glories and kingdoms will there be in eter- 
nity ? You will see the same variety in eternity as you see 
in the world. 6 -293. 

We read in the Bible, that there is one glory of the sun, 
another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars 
In the book of Doctrine and Covenants, these glories are 
called telestial, terrestrial, and celestial, which is the high- 
est These are worlds, different departments, or mansions, 
in our Father's house. Now those men, or those women, 
who know no more about the power of God, and the in- 
fluences of the Holy Spirit, than to be led entirely by an- 
other person, suspending their own understanding, and pin- 
ning their faith upon another's sleeve, will never be capable 
of entering into the celestial glory, to be crowned as they 
anticipate, they will never be capable of becoming Gods. 
They cannot rule 'themselves, to say nothing of ruling 
others, but they must be dictated to in every trifle, like a 
child. They cannot control themselves in the least, but 
James, Peter, or somebody else must control them. They 
never can become Gods, nor be crowned as rulers with 
glory, immortality, and eternal lives. They never can hold 
sceptres of glory, majesty, and power in the celestial king- 
dom. Who will? Those who are valiant and inspired with 
the true independence of heaven, who will go forth boldly 



586 DISCOURSES OF BEIGHAM YOUNG 

in the service of their God, leaving others to do as they 
please, determined to do right, though all mankind besides 
should take the opposite course. 1 312 

More will prove faithful than will apostatize. A cer- 
tain class of this people will go into the celestial kingdom, 
while others cannot enter there, because they cannot abide 
a celestial law ; but they will attain to as good a kingdom as 
they desire and live for 8 39 

The punishment of God is God-like It endures for- 
ever, because there never will be a time when people ought 
not to be damned, and there must always be a hell to send 
them to. How long the damned remain in hell, I know not, 
nor what degree of suffering they endure. If we could by 
any means compute how much wickedness they are guilty 
of, it might be possible to ascertain the amount of suffer- 
ing they will receive They will receive according as their 
deeds have been while in the body God's punishment is 
eternal, but that does not prove that a wicked person will 
remain eternally in a state of punishment. 9 .147 

You hear some of them preach and teach that which I 
never taught ; you hear them preach people into hell. Such 
doctrine never entered into my heart ; but you hear others 
preach, that people will go there to dwell throughout the 
endless ages of eternity. Such persons know no more about 
eternity, and are no more capable of instructing others upon 
the subject, than a little child. 1 352. 

But when the light of the knowledge of God comes to a 
man, and he rejects it, that is his condemnation. 2:140 

All who believe, have honest hearts, and bring forth 
fruits of righteousness, are the elect of God and heirs to all 
things. All who refuse to obey the holy commandments of 
the Lord and the ordinances of his house will be judged out 



ETERNAL JUDGMENT 587 

of their own mouths, will condemn themselves as they do 
now, will be accounted unworthy and will have no part or 
lot with the righteous. 8 :83. 

"Well," says one, "if I am pretty sure to get a state of 
glory better than this, I guess I will not take the trouble 
to inherit anything more." Well, run the risk of it, every 
man on the earth has the privilege. The Gospel is preached, 
sin revives, some die and some contend against it — some 
receive it and some do not ; but this is the sin of the people 
—truth is told them and they reject it. This is the sm of 
the world. "Light has come into the world, but men love 
darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil" 
So said Jesus in his day. We say, here is the Gospel of life 
and salvation, and everyone that will receive it, glory, honor, 
immortality and eternal life are theirs ; if they reject it, they 
take their chance. 15 :128. 

Honesty in Action Will Temper Judgment— A man or 
woman must know the ways of God before they can be- 
come ungodly. Persons may be sinners, may be unright- 
eous, may be wicked, who have never heard the plan of 
salvation, who are even unacquainted with the history of 
the Son of Man, or who have heard of the name of the 
Savior, and, perhaps, the history of his life while on the 
earth, but have been taught unbelief through their tradition 
and education ; but to be ungodly, in the strict sense of the 
word, they must measureably understand godliness. 4.58 

Don't cast them down to hell for their honest belief. 
2:140. 

If you do evil ignorantly and in good faith, I promise you 
it shall result in good. 7:139. 

It has appeared to me, from my childhood to this day, as 
a piece of complete nonsense, to talk about the inhabitants 



588 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

of the earth being thus irretrievably lost— to talk of my 
father and mother, and yours, or our ancestors, who have 
lived faithfully according to the best light they had, but be- 
cause they had not the everlasting covenant and the holy 
Priesthood m their midst, that they should go to hell and 
roast there to all eternity. It is nonsense to me; it always 
was, and is yet. 6:291. 

So far as morality is concerned, millions of the in- 
habitants of the earth live according to the best light they 
have— according to the best knowledge they possess I have 
told you frequently that they will receive according to their 
works; and all, who live according to the best principles in 
their possession, or that they can understand, will receive 
peace, glory, comfort, joy and a crown that will be far 
beyond what they are anticipating They will not be lost 
6 332. 

I say to every priest on the face of the earth, I do not 
care whether they be Christian, Pagan or Mohammedan, 
you should live according to the best light you have, and 
if you do you will receive all the glory you ever antici- 
pated We should not be prejudiced against you in the 
-4easT; even if you are against us and declare falsehoods 
about us we should not retaliate. But how prone we are 
to rebuke if we are rebuked/ or if we receive a sharp word 
to return one. The Latter-day Saints have to overcome 
this ; and the world may cry out and say all manner of evil 
against us, but, my brethren and sisters, let us so live that 
it will be said falsely. 14:151. 

The very heathen we were talking about; if they have 
a law, no matter who made it, and do the best they know 
how, they will have a glory which is beyond your imagina- 
tion, by any description I might gi-vt; you cannot conceive 



ETERNAL JUDGMENT 589 

of the least portion of the glory of God prepared for his 
beings, the workmanship of his hands 3 .93. 

None will become angels to the Devil except those who 
have sinned against the Holy Ghost. 11 .271. 

Hell Defined — Any person knowing and understanding 
the Scriptures as they are, and understandig the mind and 
will of God, can understand at once that when he is shut 
out from the presence of the Lord, when he does not hear 
his voice, sees not his face, receives not the ministering of 
his angels or ministering spirits, and has no messenger 
from the heavens to visit him, he must surely be in hell 
2.137. 

Were the wicked, in their sins, under the necessity of 
walking into the presence %f the Father and Son, hand-in- 
hand with those who believe that all will be saved — that 
Jesus will leave none, their condition would be more ex- 
cruciating and unendurable than to dwell in the lake that 
burns with fire and brimstone. The fatalist's doctrine con- 
signs to hell the infant not a span long, while the adulterer, 
whoremonger, thief, liar, false swearer, murderer, and every 
other abominable character, if they but repent on the gal- 
lows or their death-beds, are, by the same doctrine, forced 
into the presence of the Father and the Son, which, could 
they enter there, would be a hell to them. 8 -153-4 

There is not a man or woman, who violates the cove- 
nants made with their God, that will not be required to pay 
the debt. The blood of Christ will never wipe that out, your 
own blood must atone for it; and the judgments of the Al- 
mighty will come, sooner or later, and every man and 
woman will have to atone for breaking their covenants. To 
what degree? Will they have to go to hell? They are in 
hell enough now. I do not wish them in a greater hell, 



590 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

when their consciences condemn them all the time Let 
compassion reign in our bosoms. Try to comprehend how 
weak we are, how we are organized, how the spirit and the 
flesh are continually at war 3 247. 

Will I prophesy evil? No. Let us prophesy good. But 
the justice and mercy of God must have their demands 
8:195. 

The Second Death— What is that we call death, com- 
pared to the agonies of the second death? If people could 
see it, as Joseph and Sidney saw it, they would pray that 
the vision be closed up ; for they could not endure the sight 
Neither could they endure the sight of the Father and the 
Son in their glory, for it would consume them 18 .217. 

It is a curious idea, but one m favor of which there is 
much testimony, that when people take the downward road, 
one that is calculated to destroy them, they will actually in 
every sense of the word be destroyed. Will they be what 
is termed annihilated? No, there is no such thing as an- 
nihilation, for you cannot destroy the elements of which 
things are made. 2 302. 

None will be lost or turned away except those who sin 
against the Holy Ghost. 16 .32. 

Measure of Human Judgment — Every man and woman 
has got to have clean hands and a pure heart, to execute 
judgment, else they had better let the matter alone. 3 *247 

I have a certain knowledge within me that the Elders of 
Israel will never be permitted to lay judgment to the line 
and righteousness to the plummet, with regard to the 
wicked and ungodly, until they understand righteous prin- 
ciples, and live to them. 7:46 

You may judge of the truth you hear today and of that 
which you will hear in times to come; for we shall be judges 



ETERNAL JUDGMENT 591 

of ourselves as well as of our enemies, and we shall aJso 
judge angels. 5.258. 

When the judgment is given to the Saints, it will be be- 
cause of their righteousness, because they will judge even 
as the angels and as the Gods, and not as the wicked do. 
19:7. 



CHAPTER XXXV 
SALVATION 

Universal Salvation — Salvation is the full existence of 
man, of the angels, and the Gods ; it is eternal life — the life 
which was, which is, and which is to come. And we, as 
human beings, are heirs to all this life, if we apply ourselves 
strictly to obey the requirements of the law of God, and 
continue in faithfulness. 12:111. 

The economy of heaven is to gather in all, and save 
everybody who can be saved. 11:262. 

People should understand that there is no man born 
upon the face of the earth but what can be saved in the 
Kingdom of God, if he is disposed to be. 8 :160. 

I have heard a great many sermons, prayers and ex- 
hortations for people to go and get religion and have their 
names written in the "Lamb's Book of Life." I want to 
inform the whole world, all the sons and daughters of 
Adam, that their names are written there, and there they 
will remain to all eternity unless they by their evil acts 
blot them out. 13 :149. 

There never was any person over-saved; all who have 
been saved, and that ever will be in the future, are only just 
saved, and then it is not without a struggle to overcome, 
that calls into exercise every energy of the soul. 2:132. 

All that have lived or will live on this earth will have 
the privilege of receiving the Gospel. They will have Apos- 
tles, Prophets, .and ministers there, as we have here, to 
guide them in the ways of truth and righteousness, and 
lead them back to God. All will have a chance for salva- 
tion and eternal life. 6:149. 



SALVATION 593 

If our faith is one, and we are united to gain one grand 
object, and I, as an individual, can possibly get into the 
celestial kingdom, you and every other person, by the same 
rule, can also enter there 2 132. 

How many shall be preserved? All who do not deny 
and defy the power and character of the Son of God — all 
who do not sin against the Holy Ghost. 6 292. 

The heathen nations that now exist and that have existed 
on the earth will all be blessed, will see the time when they 
will have the privilege of receiving the blessings of the cove- 
nant established on the earth by the Son of God, and 
through it will be brought into glory and rest 8 83. 

The names of every son and daughter of Adam are al- 
ready written in the Lambs Book of Life. Is there ever a 
time when they will be taken out of it? Yes, when they be- 
come sons of perdition, and not till then. Every person has 
the privilege of retaining it there for ever and ever If they 
neglect that privilege, then their names will be erased, and 
not till then. All the names of the human family are writ- 
ten there, and the Lord will hold them there until they 
come to the knowledge of the truth, that they can rebel 
against him, and can sin against the Holy Ghost ; then they 
will be thrust down to hell, and their names be blotted out 
from the Lamb's Book of Life. 6:297. 

Now, the inquiry on our minds is, are all the world 
going to share in these blessings ? Yes, all the world. Are 
there none going to be lost? Are there none going to suffer 
the wrath of the Almighty? I can say, in the first place, as 
I have said all my life, where I have been preaching, I never 
had the spirit to preach hell and damnation to the people. I 
have tried a great many times — I tried last Sabbath, and I 
have tried today to come to that point — the sufferings of 



594 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

the wicked. They will suffer, it seems , but I cannot get my 
heart upon anything else, only salvation for the people. All 
nations are going to share in these blessings ; all are incor- 
porated in the redemption of the Savior He has tasted 
death for every man , they are all in his power, and he saves 
them all, as he says, except the sons of perdition ; and the 
Father has put all the creations upon this earth in his power 
The earth itself, and mankind upon it, the brute beasts, the 
fish of the sea, and the fowls of heaven, the insects, and 
every creeping thing, with all things pertaining to this 
earthly ball,— all are in the hands of the Savior, and he 
has redeemed them all. 6 .296-297. 

Where God and Christ dwell, that is a kingdom of itself 
—the celestial kingdom. 7 288. 

How many Gods there are, and how many places there 
are in their kmdgoms, is not for me to say ; but I can say 
this, which is a source of much comfort, consolation, and 
gratification to me: Behold the goodness, the long-suffer- 
ing, the kindness, and the strong parental feeling of our 
Father and God m preparing the way and providing the 
means to save the children of men— not alone the Latter- 
day Saints — not alone those who have the privilege of the 
first principles of the celestial law, but to save all. It is a 
universal salvation — a universal redemption. 8 '35. 

It will be a pleasure to know that we have saved all the 
Father gave into our power. Jesus said that he lost none 
except the sons of perdition He will lose none of his 
brethren, except sons of perdition. Let us save all the 
Father puts in our power. 9 .124. 

All heaven is anxious that the people should be saved 
The heavens weep over the people, because of their hard- 



SALVATION 595 

heartedness, unbelief, and slowness to believe and act 
4:196 

Our religion is adapted to the capacity of the whole 
human family. It does not send a portion of the people to 
howl in torment for ever and ever, but it reaches after the 
last son and daughter of Adam and Eve, and will pluck 
them from the prison, unlock the doors, and burst the bonds 
and bring forth every soul who will receive salvation. 
12.309 

The salvation that Jesus has purchased will reach the 
whole human family and save, in a kingdom or in some 
place where they will enjoy to the extent of their capacity, 
those who reject not the Gospel and despise not the Savior 
14 133 

There is a chance for those who have lived and for those 
who now live. The Gospel has come. Truth and light and 
righteousness are sent forth into the world, and those who 
receive them will be saved in the celestial kingdom of God. 
And many of those who, through ignorance, through tradi- 
tion, superstition, and the erroneous precepts of the fathers, 
do not receive them, will yet inherit a good and glorious 
kingdom, and will enjoy more and receive more than ever 
entered into the heart of man to conceive, unless he has had 
a revelation 8 '36. 

The Way to Salvation— You will be no more perfect in 
your sphere, when you are exalted to thrones, principalities, 
and powers, than you are required to be and are capable of 
being in your sphere today. 6 .99. 

No man will be saved and come into the presence of the 
Father, only* through the Gospel of Jesus Christ — the same 
for one as the other. The Lord has his cause, his ways, his 
work ; he will finish it up. Jesus is laboring with his might 



596 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

to sanctify and redeem the earth and to bring back his 
brethren and sisters into the presence of the Father. We 
are laboring with him for the purification of the whole 
human family, that we and they may be prepared to dwell 
with God in his Kingdom 13 150 

No matter what the outward appearance is — if I can 
know of a truth that the hearts of the people are fully set 
to do the will of their Father m Heaven, though they may 
falter and do a great many things through the weaknesses 
of human nature, yet they will be saved. 5 :256 

And if we accept salvation on the terms it is offered to 
us, we have got to be honest in every thought, in our re- 
flections, in our meditations, in our private circles, m our 
deal, in our declarations, and in every act of our lives, fear- 
less and regardless of every principle of error, of every prin- 
ciple of falsehood that may be presented. 5 :124. 

To look for salvation fifty years hence and do nothing 
for salvation at the present time is preposterous. God has 
placed the means of salvation within our reach, and the 
volition of the creature is at his own disposal When his 
sons and daughters avail themselves of the means he has 
supplied for their salvation, doing good for themselves, it is 
gratifying to him. 10:221. 

Salvation an Individual Work— Though our interest is 
one as a people, yet remember, salvation is an individual 
work, it is every person for himself. I mean more by this 
than I have time to tell you in full, but I will give you a 
hint. There are those in this Church who calculate to be 
saved by the righteousness of others. They will miss their 
mark. They are those who will arrive just as the gate is 
shut, so in that case you may be shut out , then you will call 
upon some one, who, by their own faithfulness, through the 



SALVATION 597 

mercy of Jesus Christ, have entered in through the celes- 
tial gate, to come and open it for you ; but to do this is not 
their province. Such will be the fate of those persons who 
vainly hope to be saved upon the righteousness and through 
the influence of Bi other Somebody. I forewarn you there- 
fore to cultivate righteousness and faithfulness in your- 
selves, which is the only passport into celestial happiness. 
2 132. 

If Brother Brigham shall take a wrong track, and be shut 
out of the Kingdom of heaven, no person will be to blame 
but Brother Brigham I am the only being in heaven, earth, 
or hell, that can be blamed. 

This will equally apply to every Latter-day Saint Salva- 
tion is an individual operation. I am the only person that 
can possibly save myself When salvation is sent to me, 
I can reject or receive it In receiving it, I yield implicit 
obedience and submission to its great Author throughout 
my life, and to those whom he shall appoint to instruct me ; 
m rejecting it, I follow the dictates of my own will in pref- 
erence to the will of my Creator. There are those among 
this people who are influenced, controlled, and biased in 
their thoughts, actions, and feelings by some other in- 
dividual or family, on whom they place their dependence 
for spiritual and temporal instruction, and for salvation in 
the end. These persons do not depend upon themselves for 
salvation, but upon another of their poor, weak, fellow 
mortals. 1 :312. 

Many Degrees o£ Salvation— When God revealed to 
Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon that there was a place 
prepared for all, according to the light they had received 
and their rejection of evil and practice of good, it was a 
great trial to many, and some apostatized because God was 



598 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

not going to send to everlasting punishment heathens and 
infants, but had a place of salvation, in due time, for all, 
and would bless the honest and virtuous and truthful, 
whether they ever belonged to any church or not It was 
a new doctrine to this generation, and many stumbled at it 
16 42 

These words set forth the fact to which Jesus referred 
when he said, "In my Father's house are many mansions " 
How many I am not prepared to say; but here are three dis- 
tinctly spoken of the celestial, the highest, the terrestrial, 
the next below it, and the telestial, the third. If we were to 
take the pains to read what the Lord has said to his people 
in the latter days we should find that he has made provi- 
sion for all the inhabitants of the earth ; every creature who 
desires, and who strives in the least, to overcome evil and 
subdue iniquity within himself or herself, and to live 
worthy of a glory, will possess one. We who have received 
the fulness of the Gospel of the Son of God, or the Kingdom 
of heaven that has come to earth, are in possession of those 
laws, ordinances, commandments and revelations that will 
prepare us, by strict obedience, to inherit the celestial king- 
dom, to go into the presence of the Father and the Son 
14 148. 

There are millions and millions of kingdoms that the 
people have no conception of The Christians of the day 
have no knowledge of God, of godliness, of eternity, of the 
worlds that are, and that have been, and that are coming 
forth There are myriads of people pertaining to this earth 
who will come up and receive a glory according to their 
capacity. 6 347 

Is it not a glorious thought that there are kingdoms, 
mansions of glory and comfortable habitations prepared for 



SALVATION 599 

all the sons and daughters of Adam, except the sons of 
perdition? All will not, have part in the first resurrection, 
and perhaps many will not appear in the second, but all will 
be resurrected, and, except the sons of perdition, enter king- 
doms, the least of which I presume is more glorious than 
ever John Wesley saw in vision. 8 196-197. 

Exaltation Proportioned to Capacity — The man or wom- 
an who lives worthily is now in a state of salvation. 1 6 

Is eveiy man and woman capable of receiving the high- 
est glory of God ? No. 9.104. 

Are all spirits endowed alike? No, not by any means. 
Will all be equal in the celestial kingdoms? No, Some 
spirits are more noble than others ; some are capable of re- 
ceiving more than others. There is the same variety in the 
spirit world that you behold here, yet they are of the same 
parentage, of one Father, one God. 4.268, 

Some are not capable of the same exaltation as are 
others, arising from the difference in the conduct and capac- 
ities of people. There is also a difference in the spirit 
world. It is the design, the wish, the will, and mind of the 
Lord that the inhabitants of the earth should be exalted to 
thrones, kingdoms, principalities, and powers, according to 
their capacities In their exaltation, one may be capable of 
presiding over ten cities, while another may not be capable 
of presiding over more than five, another over only two, and 
another over but one. They must all first be subjected to 
sin and to the calamities of mortal flesh, in order to prove 
themselves worthy; then the Gospel is ready to take hold 
of them and bring them up, unite them, enlighten their un- 
derstandings, and make them one in the Lord Jesus, that 
their faith, prayers, hopes, affections, and all their desires 
may ever be concentrated in one. 6 :97 



600 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

The Celestial Kingdom — The celestial is the highest of 
all. The teleistial and terrestrial are also spoken of; and 
how many more kingdoms of glory there are, is not for me 
to say I do not know that they are not innumerable. This 
is a source of great joy to me. 8:35 

The Kingdom that this people are in pertains to the celes- 
tial kingdom , it is a Kingdom in which we can prepare to go 
into the presence of the Father and the Son. 8 197 

The men and women, who desire to obtain seats in the 
celestial kingdom, will find that they must battle every day 
11 14. 

As for a person being saved in the celestial kingdom of 
God without being prepared to dwell in a pure and holy 
place, it is all nonsense and ridiculous ; and if there be any 
who think they can gain the presence of the Father and the 
Son by fighting for, instead of living, their religion, they will 
be mistaken, consequently the quicker we make up our 
minds to live our religion the better it will be for us. 14 157. 

Who can define the divinity of man? Only those who 
understand the true principles of eternity — the principles 
that pertain to life and salvation Man, by being exalted, 
does not lose the power and ability naturally given to him , 
but, on the contrary, by taking the road that leads to life, 
he gains more power, more influence and ability during 
every step he progresses therein 7 274 

Our spirits, thousands of years ago, were first begotten , 
and at the consummation of all things, when the Savior 
has finished his work and presented it to the Father, he 
will be crowned None of you will receive your crowns of 
glory, immortality, and eternal lives before he receives his 
He will be crowned first, and then we shall be crowned, 



SALVATION 601 

every one in his order; for the work is finished, and the 
spirit is complete in its organization with the tabernacle. 
The world is the first to be redeemed, and the people last 
to be crowned upon it. 6 :282, 



CHAPTER XXXVI 
TEMPLES AND SALVATION FOR THE DEAD 

Saints Always Commanded to Build Temples— We are 
going to build temples. This law is given to the children 
of men. 14:95. 

Concerning revelations pertaining to building temples, I 
will give you the words of our beloved Prophet while he 
was yet living upon the earth. Many of us that are here 
today, were with him from the commencement of the 
Church He was frequently speaking upon the building of 
temples in Kirtland, Missouri, and Illinois When the peo- 
ple refused in Kirtland to build a temple, unless by a spe- 
cial revelation, it grieved his heart that they should be so 
penurious in their feelings as to require the Lord to com- 
mand them to build a house to his name. It was not only 
grievous to him, but to the Holy Spirit also. He frequently 
said that if it were not for the covetousness of the people, 
the Lord would not give revelations concerning the build- 
ing of temples, for we already knew all about them; the 
revelations giving us the order of the Priesthood make 
known to us what is wanted in that respect at our hands 
1 -277. 

We that are here are enjoying a privilege that we have 
no knowledge of any other people enjoying since the days 
of Adam, that is, to have a temple completed, wherein all 
the ordinances of the house of God can be bestowed upon 
his people. Brethren and sisters, do you understand this ? 
It seems that a great many of the people know nothing 
about it. It is true that Solomon built a temple for the pur- 
pose of giving endowments, but from what we can learn of 



TEMPLES AND SALVATION FOR THE DEAD 603 

the history of that time they gave very few if any endow- 
ments, and one of the high priests was murdered by wicked 
and corrupt men, who had already begun to apostatize, be- 
cause he would not reveal those things appertaining to the 
Priesthood that were forbidden him to reveal until he 
came to the proper place I will not say but what Enoch 
had temples and officiated therein, but we have no account 
of it. We know that he raised up a people so pure and holy 
that they were not permitted to remain with the wicked in- 
habitants of the earth, but were taken to another place. 
18 303. 

The earth, the Lord says, abides its creation; it has 
been baptized with water, and will, in the future, be bap- 
tized with fire and the Holy Ghost, to be prepared to go 
back into the celestial presence of God, with all things that 
dwell upon it which have, like the earth, abided the law of 
their creation. Taking this view of the matter, it may be 
asked why we build temples We build temples because 
there is not a house on the face of the whole earth that 
has been reared to God's name which will in anywise com- 
pare with his character, and that he can consistently call 
his house. There are places on the earth where the Lord 
can come and dwell, if he pleases. They may be found on 
the tops of high mountains, or in some cavern or places 
where sinful man has never marked the soil with his pol- 
luted feet. 

He requires his servants to build him a house that he 
can come to and where he can make known his will 
10.252. 

We enjoy the privilege of entering into a temple, built 
to the name of God, and receiving the ordinances of his 
house, with all the keys and blessings preparatory to enter- 



604 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

ing into the "lives f we also enjoy the privilege of admin- 
istering for our fathers and mothers, our grandfathers and 
grandmothers, for those who have slept without the Gospel 
19.22. 

In the spirit world those who have got the victory go 
on to prepare the way for those who live in the flesh, ful- 
filling the work of saviors on Mount Zion. 

To accomplish this work there will have to be not only 
one temple but thousands of them, and thousands and tens 
of thousands of men and women will go into those temples 
and officiate, for people who have lived as far back as the 
Lord shall reveal If we are faithful enough to go back 
and build that great temple which Joseph has written about, 
and should the Lord acknowledge the labor of his servants, 
then watch, for you will see somebody whom you have seen 
before, and many of you will see him whom you have not 
seen before, but you will know him as soon as you see him 
3.372 

Temples Indispensable for Higher Ordinances — In con- 
sequence of our having been driven from our homes, and 
because of our destitute circumstances, the Lord has per- 
mitted us to do what we have done, namely, to use this 
Endowment House for temple purposes. But since, through 
the mercies and blessings of God, we are able to build 
temples, it is the will and commandment of God that we do 
so. 18*263. 

Do we need a temple? We do, to prepare us to enter in 
through the gate into the city where the Saints are at rest 
Ordinances necessary to this have not yet been performed 
and cannot be in the absence of a suitable place We 
wish a temple, not for the public congregation, but for the 
Priesthood, wherein to arrange and organize fully the 



TEMPLES AND SALVATION FOR THE DEAD 60S 

Priesthood in its order and degrees, to administer the ordi- 
nance of the Priesthood to the Saints for itheir exaltation. 
9 240. 

We cannot now administer the further ordinances of 
God, in the fullest sense of the word, legally unto the people, 
neither shall we be able to do so until we have a temple 
built for that purpose. Some may consider that I am notify- 
ing our common foe in saying this, but it is true, notwith- 
standing, and our common foe knows it. We must be 
situated in local circumstances wherein we can efficiently 
administer in those ordinances of the house of God that 
cannot be administered to a people while they are scat- 
tered abroad among the nations of the wicked. 12:162. 

There are some of the sealing ordinances that cannot be 
administered in the house that we are now using, we can 
only administer in it some of the first ordinances of the 
Priesthood pertaining to the endowment. There are more 
advanced ordinances that cannot be administered there ; we 
would, therefore, like a temple, but I am willing to wait a 
few years for it. I want to see the temple built in a man- 
ner that it will endure through the Millennium. This is not 
the only temple we shall build; there will be hundreds of 
them built and dedicated to the Lord, This temple will be 
known as the first temple built in the mountains by the 
Latter-day Saints." And when the Millennium is over, and 
all the sons and daughters of Adam and Eve, down to the 
last of their posterity, who come within the reach of the 
clemency of the Gospel, have been redeemed in hundreds 
of temples through the administration of their children as 
proxies for them, I want that temple still to stand as a proud 
monument of the faith, perseverance and industry of the 
Saints of God in the mountains, in the nineteenth century. 
10 254. 



606 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

We have often told you that we want to build a temple, 
but not for convening promiscuous congregations I in- 
form you, long before you see the walls reared and the 
building completed, that it will be for the purposes of the 
Priesthood, and not for meetings of the people , we shall not 
hold public meetings m it I should like to see the temple 
built, in which you will see the Priesthood in its order and 
true organization, each Quorum m its place. 8*202-203 

Endowments Given in Temples— The commandments 
contained in the New Testament with regard to the ordi- 
nances of the house of God are obligatory upon us. 13 314 

Every individual who is prepared for the celestial king- 
dom must go through the same things. 3 195. 

It is absolutely necessary that the Saints should receive 
the further ordinances of the house of God before this short 
existence shall come to a close, that they may be prepared 
and fully able to pass all the sentinels leading into the celes- 
tial kingdom and into the presence of God. 12 163-4. 

Then go on and build the temples of the Lord, that you 
may receive the endowments in store for you, and possess 
the keys of the eternal Priesthood, that you may receive 
every word, sign, and token, and be made acquainted with 
the laws of angels, and of the kingdom of our Father and 
our God, and know how to pass from one degree to another, 
and enter fully into the joy of your Lord. 2 :315. 

Some of us are not dependent on the temple for our en- 
dowment blessings, for we have received them under the 
hands of Joseph the Prophet, and know where to go to be- 
stow the same on others. You may ask me whether the 
leaders of this Church have received all their endowment 
blessings. I think that we have got all that you can get in 
your probation, if you live to be the age of Methuselah ; and 



TEMPLES AND SALVATION FOR THE DEAD 607 

we can give what we possess to others who are worthy. 
10 254 

A great many of you have had your endowments, and 
you know what a vote with uplifted hands means. 

It is a sign which you make in token of your covenant 
with God and with one another, and it is for you to per- 
form your vows When you raise your hands to heaven 
and let them fall and then pass on with your covenants un- 
fulfilled, you will be cursed. 

I feel sometimes like lecturing men and women severely 
who enter into covenants without realizing the nature of 
the covenants they make, and who use little or no effort 
to fulfil them. 

Some Elders go to the nations and preach the Gospel of* 
life and salvation, and return without thoroughly under- 
standing the nature of the covenant It is written in the 
Bible that every man should perform his own vows, even 
if to his own hurt, in this way you will show to all crea- 
tion and to God that you are full of integrity. 3 '332. 

Most of you, my brethren, are Elders, Seventies, or High 
Priests, perhaps there is not a Priest or Teacher present 
The reason of this is that when we give the brethren their 
endowments, we are obliged to confer upon them the Mel- 
chizedek Priesthood , but I expect to see the day, when we 
shall be so situated that we can say to a company of breth- 
ren, You can go and receive the ordinances pertaining to the 
Aaronic order of Priesthood, and then you can go into the 
world and preach the Gospel, or do something that will 
prove whether you will honor that Priesthood before you 
receive more. Now we pass them through the ordinances 
of both Priesthoods in one day, but this is not as it should 
be and would, if we had a temple wherein to administer 



608 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM yOUNG 

these ordinances. But this is all right at present ; we should 
not be satisfied in any other way, and consequently we do 
according to the circumstances we are placed in. 10:309. 

The ordinances of the house of God are for the salva- 
tion of the human family. We are the only ones on the 
earth at the present time, that we have any knowledge of, 
who hold the keys of salvation committed to the children 
of men from the heavens by the Lord Almighty ; and in- 
asmuch as theie are those who hold these keys, it is impor- 
tant that they should be acted upon for the salvation of the 
human family The building of temples, places in which 
the ordinances of salvation are administered, is necessary 
to carry out the plan of redemption, and it is a glorious 
subject upon which to address the Saints 13 262 

Giving endowments to a great many proves their over- 
throw, through revealing things to them which they can- 
not keep. They are not worthy to receive them 4 372. 

Were it not for what is revealed concerning the sealing 
ordinances, children born out of the covenant could not be 
sealed to their parents. 18 .249. 

The ordinances of the house of God are expressly for 
the Church of the Firstborn. 8:154. 

I would rather see this people cleansed, and give the 
righteous their endowments after they have waited awhile. 
Let the poor, and those who are humble before the Lord, 
have the first chance. 2 .144. 

Vicarious Work for the Dead in Temples— We are 
preaching to them the Gospel of Salvation— to the dead- 
through those who have lived in this dispensation. 3 90. 

There is an opportunity for men who are in the spirit to 
receive the Gospel. Jesus, while his body lay in the grave 
two nights and one day, went to the world of spirits to 



TEMPLES AND SALVATION FOR THE DEAD 609 

show the brethren how they should build up the kingdom, 
and bring spirits to the knowledge of the truth in the spirit 
world, he went to set them the pattern there, as he had 
done on this earth. Hence you perceive that there, spirits 
have the privilege of embracing the truth 

You may ask if they are baptized there ? No Can they 
have hands laid upon them for the gift of the Holy Ghost ? 
No. None of the outward ordinances that pertain to the 
flesh are administered there, but the light, glory, and power 
of the Holy Ghost are enjoyed just as freely as upon this 
earth; and there are laws which govern and control the 
spirit world, and to which they are subject. 2:138 

Now a few words to the brethren and sisters upon the 
doctrine and ordinances of the house of God. All who have 
lived on the earth according to the best light they had, and 
would have received the fulness of the Gospel had it been 
preached to them, are worthy of a glorious resurrection, 
and will attain to this by being administered for, in the flesh, 
by those who have the authority. All others will have a 
resurrection, and receive a glory, except those who have 
sinned against the Holy Ghost It is supposed by this peo- 
ple that we have all the ordinances in our possession for 
life and salvation, and exaltation,, and that we are admin- 
istering in these ordinances. This is not the case We are 
in possession of all the ordinances that can be administered 
in the flesh; but there are other ordinances and adminis- 
trations that must be administered beyond this world I 
know you would ask what they are. I will mention one. 
We have not, neither can we receive here, the ordinance 
and the keys of the resurrection. They will be given to 
those who have passed off this stage of action and have re- 
ceived their bodies again, as many have already done and 



610 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

many more will. They will be ordained, by ithose who hold 
the keys of the resurrection, to go forth and resurrect the 
Saints, just as we receive the ordinance of baptism, then 
the keys of authority to baptize others for the remission of 
their sins This is one of the ordinances we cannot receive 
here, and there are many more We hold the authority to 
dispose of, alter and change the elements ; but we have not 
received authority to organize native element, to even make 
a spear of grass grow 

We have no such ordinance here. We organize accord- 
ing to men m the flesh By combining the elements and 
planting the seed, we cause vegetables, trees, grains, etc , 
to come forth We are organizing a Kingdom here accord- 
ing to the pattern 'that the Lord has given for people in the 
flesh, but not for those who have leceived the resurrection, 
although it is a similitude Another item We have not 
the power in the flesh to create and bring forth or produce 
a spirit , but we have the power to produce a temporal body ; 
the germ of this, God has placed within us And when our 
spirits receive our bodies, and through our faithfulness we 
are worthy to be crowned, we will then receive authority to 
produce both spirit and body. But these keys we cannot 
receive in the flesh Herein, brethren, you can perceive 
that we have not finished, and cannot finish our work, 
while we live here, no more than Jesus did while he was in 
the flesh. 

We cannot receive, while in the flesh, the keys to form 
and fashion kingdoms and to organize matter, for they are 
beyond our capacity and calling, beyond this world In the 
■ resurrection, men who have been faithful and diligent in all 
things in the flesh, have kept their first and second estate, 
and are worthy to be crowned Gods, even the Sons of God, 



TEMPLES AND SALVATION FOR THE DEAD 611 

will be ordained to organize matter. How much matter do 
you suppose there is between here and some of the fixed stars 
which we can see ? Enough to frame man3 r , very many mil- 
lions of such earths as this, yet it is now so diffused, clear 
and pure, that we look through it and behold the stars. Yet 
the matter is there Can you form any conception of this ? 
Can you form any idea of the minuteness of matter? 15 .136 

Do you recollect that m about the year 1840-41, Joseph 
had a revelation concerning the dead? He had been asked 
the question a good many times . "What is the condition of 
the dead, those that lived and died without the Gospel?" It 
was a matter of inquiry with him He considered this ques- 
tion for himself, and for the brethren and the Church,"What 
is the condition of the dead? What will be their fate? Is 
there no way today by which they can receive their bless- 
ings as there was in the days of the Apostles, and when the 
Gospel was preached upon the earth in ancient days?" 
When Joseph received the revelation that we have in our 
possession concerning the dead, the subject was opened to 
him, not in full, but in part, and he kept on receiving 
When he had first received the knowledge by the spirit of 
revelation how the dead could be officiated for, there are 
brethren and sisters here, I can see quite a number here who 
were in Nauvoo, and you recollect that when this doctrine 
was first revealed, and in hurrying in the administration of 
baptism for the dead, that sisters were baptized for their 
male friends, were baptized for their fathers, their grand- 
fathers, their mothers and their grandmothers, etc. I just 
mention this so that you will come to understanding, that 
as we knew nothing about this matter at first, the old Saints 
recollect, there was little by little given, and the subject was 
made plain, but little was given at once. Consequently, in 



612 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

the first place people were baptized for their friends and no 
record was kept Joseph afterwards kept a record Then 
women were baptized for men and men for women, etc It 
would be very strange, you know, to the eyes of the wise 
and those that understood the things pertaining to eternity, 
if we were called upon to commence a work that we could 
not finish This, therefore, was regulated and all set in 
order; for it was revealed that if a woman was baptized for 
a man, she could not be ordained for him, neither could she 
be made an Apostle or a Patriarch for the man, conse- 
quently the sisters are to be baptized for their own sex only 
This doctrine of baptism for the dead is a great doc- 
trine, one of the most glorious doctrines that was revealed 
to the human family; and there are light, power, glory, 
honor and immortality in it. 16*165. 

There are many of the ordinances of the house of God 
that must be performed in a temple that is erected ex- 
pressly for the purpose. There are other ordinances that 
we can administer without a temple You know that there 
are some which you have received — baptism, the laying on 
of hands for the gifts of the Holy Ghost, such as the speak- 
ing in and interpretation of tongues, prophesying, healing, 
discerning of spirits, etc , and many blessings bestowed up- 
on the people, we have the privilege of receiving without a 
temple. There are other blessings, that will not be received, 
and ordinances that will not be performed according to the 
law that the Lord has revealed, without their being done in 
a temple prepared for that purpose. We can, at the present 
time, go into the Endowment House and be baptized for the 
dead, receive our washings and anointing, etc, for there 
we have a font that has been erected, dedicated expressly 
for baptizing people for the remission of sins, for their 



TEMPLES AND SALVATION FOR THE DEAD 613 

health and for their dead friends; in this the Saints have 
the privilege of being baptized for their friends We also 
have the privilege of sealing women to men, without a 
temple This we can do in the Endowment House; but 
when we come to other sealing ordinances, ordinances per- 
taining to the holy Priesthood, to connect the chain of the 
Priesthood from Father Adam until now, by sealing chil- 
dren to their parents, being sealed for our forefathers, etc , 
they cannot be done without a temple. When the ordi- 
nances are carried out in the temples that will be erected, 
men will be sealed to their fathers, and those who have slept, 
clear up to Father Adam. This will have to be done, because 
of the chain of the Priesthood being broken upon the earth 
The Priesthood has left the people, but in the first place 
the people left the Priesthood They transgressed the laws, 
changed the ordinance, and broke the everlasting covenant, 
and the Priesthood left them; but not until they had left 
the Priesthood This Priesthood has been restored again, 
and by its authority we shall be connected with our fathers, 
by the ordinance of sealing, until we shall form a perfect 
chain from Father Adam down to the closing up scene. 
This ordinance will not be performed anywhere but in a 
temple; neither will children be sealed to their living 
parents in any other place than a temple. For instance, a 
man and his wife come into the Church, and they have a 
family of children. These children have been begotten out 
of the covenant, because the marriage of their parents is 
not recognized by the Lord as performed by his authority , 
they have, therefore, to be sealed to their parents, or else 
they cannot claim them in eternity ; they will be distributed 
according to the wisdom of the Lord, who does all things 
right. When we had a temple prepared in Nauvoo, many 



614 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

of the brethren had their children, who were out of the cove- 
nant, sealed to them, and endowments were given Then 
parents, after receiving their endowments and being sealed 
for time and eternity, and they have other children , they are 
begotten and born under the covenant, and they are the 
rightful heirs to the kingdom, they possess the keys of the 
kingdom Children bora unto parents, before the latter 
enter into the fulness of the covenants, have to be sealed 
to them in a temple to become legal heirs of the Priest- 
hood. It is true they can receive the ordinances, they can 
receive their endowments, and be blessed in common with 
their parents; but still the parents cannot claim them 
legally and lawfully in eternity unless they are sealed to 
them. Yet the chain would not be complete without this 
sealing ordinance being performed. 

Now, to illustrate this, I will refer to my own father's 
family. My father died before the endowments were given. 
None of his children have been sealed to him If you recol- 
lect, you that were in Nauvoo, we were very much hurried 
in the little time we spent there after the temple was built 
The mob was there ready to destroy us; they were ready to 
burn our houses, they had been doing it for a long time , but 
we finished the temple according to the commandment that 
was given to Joseph, and then took our departure. Our 
time, therefore, was short, and we had no time to attend to 
this My father's children, consequently, have not been 
sealed to him. Perhaps all of his sons may go into eternity, 
into the spirit world, before this can be attended to; but 
this will make no difference; the heirs of the family will 
attend to this if it is not for a hundred years 

It will have to be done sometime. If, however, we get 
a temple prepared before the sons of my father shall all 



TEMPLES AND SALVATION FOR THE DEAD 615 

have gone into the spirit world, if there are any of them re- 
maining, they will attend to this, and as heirs be permitted 
to receive the ordinances for our father and mother This is 
only one case, and, to illustrate this subject perfectly, I 
might have to refer to hundreds of examples for each case 
16.186 

We trust in God I reckon he will fight our battles 
and we will be baptized for and in behalf of the human 
family during a thousand years; and we will have hundreds 
of temples and thousands of men and women officiating 
therein for those who have fallen asleep, without having 
had the privilege of hearing and obeying the Gospel, that 
they may be brought forth and have a glorious resurrection, 
and enjoy the kingdom which God has prepared for them 
The Devil will fight hard to hinder us, and we shall not 
take an inch of ground except by obedience to the power of, 
and faith in, the, Gospel of the Son of God. The whole 
world is opposed to this doctrine But is there any harm 
in it? If they could only see it as it is in the Lord, they 
would rejoice in it, and instead of fighting it, they would 
praise God for having revealed so glorious a doctrine. Sup- 
pose that the notion entertained by some is true, that after 
the death of our bodies our spirits sleep an eternal sleep, 
and I am baptized for my father, grandfather, and so on, 
above, beneath, or around about the earth ! All will admit 
that no harm would be done in practicing these ordinances 
Then let us alone if our practices will do no harm, why 
oppose us in their observance? The result might possibly 
affect beneficially our progenitors, and then you who op- 
pose would be found fighting against God. Better let the 
Gospel have its course. 13 :330 

Let me say to you, if it is true that no man can enter the 



616 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

Kingdom of God unless he is born of the water and of the 
Spirit, God must provide a plan by which those who have 
died ignorant of the Gospel may have the privilege of doing 
so, or he would appear to be a partial being. Has he pro- 
vided that way ? He has The Christian world have taught, 
preached, contemplated, meditated, sung about and prayed 
for the Millennium What are you going to do during that 
period, Christians? Do you know what the Millennium is 
for, and what work will have to be done during that period 7 
Suppose the Christian world were now one in heart, faith, 
sentiment and works, so that the Lord could commence the 
Millennium in power and glory, do you know what would 
be done? Would you sit and sing yourselves away to ever- 
lasting bliss? No, I reckon not I think there is a work to 
be done then which the whole world seems determined we 
shall not do. What is it? To build temples We never 
yet commenced to lay the foundation of a temple but what 
all hell was in arms against us. That is the difficulty now. 
We have commenced the foundation of this temple What 
are we going to do m these temples? Anything to be done 
there ? Yes, and we will not wait for the Millennium and 
the fulness of the glory of God on the earth ; we will com- 
mence as soon as we have a temple, and work for the salva- 
tion of our forefathers ; we will get their genealogies as far 
as we can By and by, we shall get them perfect. In 
these temples we will officiate in the ordinances of the 
Gospel of Jesus Christ for our friends, for no man can 
enter the Kingdom of God without being born of the water 
and of the Spirit. We will officiate for those who are in 
the spirit world, where Jesus went to preach to the spirits, 
as Peter has written m the third chapter, verses 18, 19, 20, 
of his first epistle. 



TEMPLES AND SALVATION FOR THE DEAD 617 

We will also have hands laid on us for the reception of 
the Holy Ghost ; and then we will receive the washing and 
anointings for and in their behalf, preparatory to their be- 
coming heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ. Are you 
going to do this, Latter-day Saints? Yes. What will the 
Christian world do with their dead? Let them sleep an 
eternal sleep, for there are no provisions made for them in 
the Gospel they believe in and have taught to them. 13*329. 

We will bring up all the inhabitants of the earth, except 
those who have sinned against the Holy Ghost, and save 
them in some kingdom where they will receive more glory 
and honor than ever the Methodist contemplated. This 
should be a comfort and a consolation to all the inhabitants 
of the earth. They will not save themselves, millions have 
not had a chance, and millions now living, through the 
strength of their traditions, will not do it ; their consciences 
and feelings are bound up in their systems and creeds, 
whereas if they felt as independent as they should feel, they 
would break loose and receive the truths ; but they will live 
and die in bondage, and we calculate to officiate for them. 
Many a man I know of, who has fallen asleep, we have been 
baptized for, since the Church was organized — good, honest, 
honorable men, charitable to all, living good, virtuous lives. 
We will not let them go down to hell ; God will not. The 
plan of salvation is ample to bring them all up and place 
them where they may enjoy all they could anticipate. 14:97. 

Can we do anything for them? Yes. What are we try- 
ing to build a temple for? And we shall not only build a 
temple here, if we are successful, and are blessed and pre- 
served, but we shall probably commence two or three more, 
and so on as fast as the work requires, for the express pur- 
pose of redeeming our dead. When I get a revelation that 



618 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

some of my progenitors lived and died without the blessings 
of the Gospel, or even hearing it preached, but were as 
honest as I am, as upright as I am, or as any man or 
woman could be upon the earth , as righteous, so far as they 
knew how, as any Apostle or Prophet that ever lived, I 
will go and be baptized, confirmed, washed, and anointed, 
and go through all the ordinances and endowments for 
them, that their way may be open to the celestial kingdom 

As I have frequently told you, that is the work of the 
Millennium. It is the work that has to be performed by the 
seed of Abraham, the chosen seed, the royal seed, the 
blessed of the Lord, those the Lord made covenants with. 
They will step forth, and save every son and daughter of 
Adam who will receive salvation here on the earth ; and all 
the spirits in the spirit world will be preached to, con- 
versed with, and the principles of salvation carried to them, 
that they may have the privilege of receiving the Gospel , 
and they will have plenty of children here on the earth to 
officiate for them in those ordinances of the Gospel that per- 
tain to the flesh 2.138 

What do you suppose the fathers would say if they 
could speak from the dead? Would they not say, "We have 
lam here thousands of years, here in this prison house, 
waiting for this dispensation to come? Here we are, bound 
and fettered, in the association of those who are filthy''" 
What would they whisper in our ears ? Why, if they had* 
the power the very thunders of heaven would be in our ears, 
if we could but realize the importance of the work we are 
engaged in. All the angels in heaven are looking at this 
little handful of people, and stimulating them to the salva- 
tion of the human family. So also are the devils in hell 
looking at this people, too, and trying to overthrow us, and 



TEMPLES AND SALVATION FOR THE DEAD 619 

the people are still shaking hands with the servants of the 
Devil, instead of sanctifying themselves and calling upon 
the Lord and doing the work which he has commanded 
us and put into our hands to do When I think upon this 
subject, I want the tongues of seven thunders to wake up 
the people 18 304 

We are trying to save the living and the dead. The 
living can have their choice, the dead have not Millions 
of them died without the Gospel, without the Priesthood, 
and without the opportunities that we enjoy We shall go 
forth in the name of Israel's God and attend to the ordi- 
nances for them And through the Millennium, the thou- 
sand years that the people will love and serve God, we will 
build temples and officiate therein for those who have slept 
for hundreds and thousands of years— those who would 
have received the truth if they had had the opportunity; 
and we will bring them up, and form the chain entire, back 
to Adam 14*97. 

If we preserve ourselves in the truth and live so that we 
shall be worthy of the celestial kingdom, by and by we can 
officiate for those who have died without the Gospel — the 
honest, honorable, truthful, virtuous and pure. By and by 
it will be said unto us, Go ye forth and be baptized for them 
and receive the ordinances for them, and the hearts 
of the children will be turned to the fathers who 
have slept in their graves, and they will secure 
to them eternal life. This must be, lest the Lord come and 
smite the earth with a curse. The children will go forth and 
revive this law for those who have slept for thousands of 
years who died without the Gospel. Jesus will prepare a 
way to bring them up into his presence. But were it not for 
the few who will be prepared here on the earth to officiate 



620 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

when the Lord shall come to reign King of nations, what 
would be the condition of the world? They would sleep 
and sleep on, but the way is prepared for their redemption. 
14-151. 

Hundreds of millions of human beings have been born, 
lived out their short earthly span, and passed away, ignorant 
alike of themselves and of the plan of salvation provided for 
them. It gives great consolation, however, to know that 
this glorious plan devised by Heaven follows them into the 
next existence, offering for their acceptance eternal life and 
exaltation to thrones, dominions, principalities, and powers 
in the presence of their Father and God, through Jesus 
Christ, his Son 9.148. 

If we obey this law, preserve it inviolate, live according 
to it, we shall be prepared to enjoy the blessings of a celes- 
tial kingdom. Will any others? Yes, thousands and mil- 
lions of the inhabitants of the earth who would have re- 
ceived and obeyed the law that we preach, if they had had 
the privilege When the Lord shall brmg again Zion, and the 
watchmen shall see eye to eye, and Zion shall be estab- 
lished, saviors will come upon Mount Zion and save all the 
sons and daughters of Adam that are capable of being 
saved, by administering for them. 8*35. 

Our enemies will yet be glad to come to us for safety 
and salvation ; and we will do as Brother Kimball has said 
—we will save the old veteran fathers; and the time will 
come when we will be baptized for them, while those who 
trample upon the rights of their fellow men will be welter- 
ing in hell. Yes, we will bring up those old revolutionary 
sires and save them; for God loves men who are true to 
each other and are true to him 5 212, 

Who Should Represent the Dead— A man is ordained 



TEMPLES AND SALVATION FOR THE DEAD 621 

and receives his washings, anointings, and endowments for 
the male portion of his and his wife's progenitors, and his 
wife for the female portion 3 372 

For instance, a man and his wife come into the Church , 
he says, "My father and mother were good people , I would 
like to officate for them." "Well, have you any other 
friends in the Church ?" "Nobody but myself and my wife." 
Well, now, the wife is not a blood relation, consequently she 
is not in reality the proper person, but she can be appointed 
the heir if there are no other relatives — if there are no sisters, 
this wife of his can officiate for the mother ; but if the man 
has a sister in the Church, it is the privilege and place of 
the sister of this man, the daughter of those parents that 
are dead, to go and officiate — be baptized, to go and be 
sealed with her brother for her father and mother If this 
man and woman have a daughter old enough to officiate for 
her grandmother, she is a blood relation, and is the heir, and 
can act , but if there is no daughter, the man's wife can be 
appointed as the heir. 16 '188. 

Some brethren here are anxious to know whether they 
can receive endowments for their sons or for their daugh- 
ters. No, they cannot until we have*a temple ; but they can 
officiate in the ordinances so far as baptism and sealing are 
concerned. A man can be baptized for a son who died be- 
fore hearing the Gospel. A woman can be baptized for her 
daughter, who died without the Gospel Suppose that the 
father of a dead son wishes to have a wife sealed to his son ; 
if the young woman desired as a wife is dead and have a 
mother or other female relative in the Church, such mother 
is the heir, and she can act in the sealing ordinances in the 
stead of her daughter. But if the young woman desired as 
a wife have no relative in the Church, to act in her behalf, 



622 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

then the mother of the young man can be baptized for her, 
and act as proxy for her in the sealing ordinances. We can 
attend to these ordinances now before the temple is built 
here ; but no one can receive endowments for another, until 
a temple is prepared in which to administer them. We ad- 
minister just so far as the law permits us to do In reality 
we should have performed all these ordinances long ago, if 
we had been obedient; we should have had temples in which 
we could attend to all these ordinances. Now, the brethren 
have the privilege of being baptized for their dead friends 
—when I say the brethren, I mean the brethren and sisters 
—and these friends can be sealed 16:187. 

We will operate here, in all the ordinances of the house 
of God which pertain to this side of the veil, and those who 
pass beyond and secure to themselves a resurrection per- 
taining to the lives will go on and receive more and more, 
more and more, and will receive one after another until they 
are crowned Gods, even the sons of God. This idea is very 
consoling We are now baptizing for the dead, and we are 
sealing for the dead, and if we had a temple prepared we 
should be giving endowments for the dead— for our fathers, 
mothers, grandfathers, grandmothers, uncles, aunts, rela- 
tives, friends and old associates, the history of whom we are 
now getting from our friends in the East. The Lord is stir- 
ring up the hearts of many there, and there is a perfect 
mania with some to trace their genealogies and to gtt up 
printed records of their ancestors. They do not know what 
they are doing it for, but the Lord is prompting them , and 
it will continue and run on from father to father, father to 
father, until they get the genealogy of their forefathers as 
far as they possibly can. IS :138. 

We want to sacrifice enough to do the will of God in 



TEMPLES AND SALVATION FOR THE DEAD 623 

preparing to bring up those who have not had the privilege 
of hearing the Gospel while in the flesh, for the simple 
reason that, in the spirit world, they cannot officiate m the 
ordinances of the house of God. They have passed the 
ordeals, and are beyond the possibility of personally offi- 
ciating for the remission of their sins and for their exalta- 
tion, consequently they are under the necessity of trusting 
in their friends, their children and their children's children 
to officiate for them, that they may be brought up into the 
celestial kingdom of God. 18:238 

"Saviors on Mount Zion"— We have a work to do just 
as important in its sphere as the Savior's work was in its 
sphere. Our fathers cannot be made perfect without us , 
we cannot be made perfect without them They have done 
their work and now sleep We are now called upon to do 
ours; which is to be the greatest work man ever performed 
on the earth. Millions of our fellow creatures who have 
lived upon the earth and died without a knowledge of the 
Gospel must be officiated for in order that they may inherit 
eternal life (that is, all that would have received the 
Gospel) And we are called upon to enter into this work 
18-213. 

We are called, as it has been told you, to redeem the na- 
tions of the earth. The fathers cannot be made perfect 
without us ; we cannot be made perfect without the fathers 
There must be this chain in the holy Priesthood , it must be 
welded together from the latest generation that lives on the 
earth back to Father Adam, to bring back all that can be 
saved and placed where they can receive salvation and a 
glory in some kingdom This Priesthood has to do it ; this 
Priesthood is for this purpose. 13-280. 

Can the fathers be saved without us? No. Can we be 



624 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

saved without them? No, and if we do not wake up and 
cease to long after the things of this earth, we will find that 
we as individuals will go down to hell, although the Lord 
will preserve a people unto himself Now, we are ready to 
give endowments, do you have any feelings for those who 
have died without having the Gospel? 18 304 

The ordinance of sealing must be performed here man 
to man, and woman to man, and children to parents, etc., 
until the chain of generation is made perfect in the sealing 
ordinances back to Father Adam; hence, we have been 
commanded to gather ourselves together, to come out from 
Babylon, and sanctify ourselves, and build up the Zion of 
our God, by building cities and temples, redeeming coun- 
tries from the solitude of nature, until the earth is sancti- 
fied and prepared for the residence of God and angels 
12-165. 

The doctrines of the Savior reveal and place the be- 
lievers in possession of principles whereby saviors will come 
upon Mount Zion to save the House of Esau, which is the 
Gentile nations, from sin and death, — all except those who 
have sinned against the Holy Ghost. Men and women will 
enter into the temples of God, and be, in comparison, pillars 
there, and officiate year after year for those who have slept 
thousands of years. 6 :344 

When his Kingdom is established upon the earth, and 
Zion built up, the Lord will send his servants as saviors 
upon Mount Zion. The servants of God who have lived on 
the earth in ages past will reveal where different persons 
have lived who have died without the Gospel, give their 
names, and say, "Now go forth, ye servants of God, and ex- 
ercise your rights and privileges ; go and perform the ordi- 
nances of the house of God for those who have passed their 



TEMPLES AND SALVATION FOR THE DEAD 625 

probation without the Gospel, and for all who will receive 
any kind of salvation , bring them up to inherit the celes- 
tial, terrestrial, and telestial kingdoms/' and probably many 
other kingdoms not mentioned in the Scriptures, for every 
person will receive according to his capacity and according 
to the deeds done in the body, whether good or bad, much 
or little 6:347. 

Who will possess the earth and all its fulness? Will it 
not be those whom the Lord has reserved to this honor? 
And they will come upon Mount Zion as saviors to labor 
through the Millennium to save others. 8:191. 

Suppose we are ready to go into the temples of God to 
officiate for our fathers and our grandfathers — for our an- 
cestors back for hundreds of years, who are all looking to 
see what their children are doing upon the earth. The Lord 
says, I have sent the keys of Elijah the Prophet— I have 
imparted that doctrine to turn the hearts of the fathers to 
the children, and the hearts of the children to the fathers, 
Now, all you children, are you looking to the salvation of 
your fathers? Are you seeking diligently to redeem those 
that have died without the Gospel, inasmuch as they sought 
the Lord Almighty to obtain promises for you? For our 
fathers did obtain promises that their seed should not be 
forgotten. ye children of the fathers, look at these 
things. You are to enter into the temples of the Lord and 
officiate for your forefathers. 

Suppose we are ready to enter into the temple to be bap- 
tized and attend to the ordinances for one hundred of our 
best forefathers, and Thomas should say to John, "John* 
take this affair and see to it ; I want to go to this ferry to 
make a little money ;" or, "J ose Pn> you know the names of 
our ancestors better than I do; won't you go and see to 



626 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

their salvation? I have not time myself, I want to build 
a bridge " "James, are you ready to perform your duties 
for the dead?" "No, I want to go and keep a grocery." 
And you know the language that is common to such places , 
the name of the Lord is blasphemed, and his servants are 
cursed with bitter oaths. 

What do you think of it, gentlemen, Elders in Israel? 
What would money have to do with you, if you were now 
upon the threshold of eternity, and eternity open to you? 
Would you have the apostasy, as you have now ? A little 
money is more to such persons than the salvation of all the 
sons and daughters of Adam I wish I had a voice like ten 
thousand earthquakes, that all the world might hear and 
know the loving kindness of the Lord. 6 .296 

What is going to be done with them? By and by Zion 
will be built up ; temples are going to be reared, and the 
holy Priesthood is going to take effect and rule, and every 
law of Christ will be obeyed, and he will govern and reign 
King of nations as he now does King of Saints. Pretty 
soon you will see temples reared up, and the sons of Jacob 
will enter into the temples of the Lord What will they do 
there? They will do a great many things When you see 
Zion redeemed and built up— when you see the people per- 
forming the ordinances of salvation for themselves and for 
others, (and they will hereafter,) you will see simply this 
(but I have not time this morning to tell you, only a little 
part of it) • About the time that the temples of the Lord 
will be built and Zion is established— pretty nigh this time, 
you will see (those who are faithful enough,) the first you 
know, there will be strangers in your midst, walking with 
you, talking with you ; they will enter into your houses and 
eat and drink with you, go to meeting with you, and begin 



TEMPLES AND SALVATION FOR THE DEAD 627 

to open your minds, as the Savior did the two disciples who 
walked out in the country in the days of old. 

About the time the temples are ready, the strangers will 
be along and will converse with you, and will inquire of 
you, probably, if you understand the resurrection of the 
dead. You might say you have heard and read a great deal 
about it, but you do not properly understand it ; and they 
will then open your minds and tell you the principles of the 
resurrection of the dead and how to save your friends ; they 
will point out Scriptures in the Old and New Testament, in 
the Book of Mormon, and other revelations of God, saying, 
"Don't you recollect reading so and so, that saviors should 
come up on Mount Zion?" etc., and they will expound the 
Scriptures to you. ' You have got your temples ready , now 
go forth and be baptized for those good people There are 
your father and your mother — your ancestors for many 
generations back — the people that have lived upon the face 
of the earth since the Priesthood was taken away, thousands 
and millions of them, who have lived according to the best 
light and knowledge in their possession. They will ex- 
pound the Scriptures to you, and open your minds, and teach 
you of the resurrection of the just and the unjust of the 
doctrine of salvation, they will use the keys of the holy 
Priesthood, and unlock the door of knowledge, to let you 
look into the palace of truth. You will exclaim, That is all 
plain: why did I not understand it before? and you will 
begin to feel your hearts burn within you, as they walk and 
talk with you. 

You will enter into the temple of the Lord and begin to 
offer up ordinances before the Lord for your dead. Says 
this or that man, I want to save such a person— I want to 
save my father ; and he straightway goes forth in the ordi- 



628 DISCOURSES OF BRIGIIAM YOUNG 

nance of baptism, and is confirmed, and washed, and 
anointed, and ordained to the blessings of the holy Priest- 
hood for his ancestors ? Before his work is finished, a great 
many of the Elders of Israel m Mount Zion will become 
pillars m the temple of God, to go no more out. They will 
eat and drink and sleep there, and they will often have 
occasion to say, "Somebody came to the temple last night , 
we did not know who he was, but he was no doubt a 
brother, and told us a great many things we did not before 
understand. He gave us the names of a great many of our 
forefathers that are not on record, and he gave me my true 
lineage and the names of my forefathers for hundreds of 
years back. He said to me, you and I are connected in one 
family ; there are the names of your ancestors ; take them 
and write them down, and be baptized and confirmed, and 
save such and such ones, and receive of the blessings of the 
eternal Priesthood for such and such an individual, as you 
do for yourselves." This is what we are going to do for the 
inhabitants of the earth. When I look at it, I do not want 
to rest a great deal, but be industrious all the day long; for 
when we come to think upon it, we have no time to lose, 
for it is a pretty laborious work 6 .294-5. 

Then in the spirit world they will say, "Do you not see 
somebody at work for you? The Lord remembers you and 
has revealed to his servants on the earth, what to do for 
you." 3.372. 

""When the Lord shall usher in the morning of rest, we 
may enter into our labors to officate for our dead friends 
back to Adam 6.149, 

Powers of Evil Opposed to Temple Building — Some say, 
"I do not like to do it, for we never began to build a temple 
without the bells of hell beginning to ring." I want to hear 



TEMPLES AND SALVATION FOR THE DEAD 629 

them ring again. All the tribes of hell will be on the move, 
if we uncover the walls of this temple. But what do you 
think it will amount to? You have all the time seen what 
it has amounted to. 8 355-6. 

I can say, for my comfort and consolation, and for yours 
too, that we did build two temples, and commenced an- 
other. We completed a temple in Kirtland and in Nauvoo ; 
and did not the bells of hell toll all the time we were build- 
ing them? They did, every week and every day. 8:356. 

The Salt Lake Temple— This I do know— there should 
be a temple built here. I do know it is the duty of this 
people to commence to build a temple. Now, some will 
want to know what kind of a building it will be. Wait pa- 
tiently, brethren, until it is done, and put forth your hands 
willingly to finish it. I know what it will be. I scarcely 
ever say much about revelations, or visions, but suffice it to 
say, five years ago last July I was here, and saw in the spirit 
the temple not ten feet from where we have laid the chief 
cornerstone. I have not inquired what kind of a temple we 
should build. Why? Because it was represented before 
me. I have never looked upon that ground, but the vision 
of it was there. I see it as plainly as if it was in reality be- 
fore me. Wait until it is done. I will say, however, that it 
will have six towers, to begin with, instead of one. Now 
do not any of you apostatize because it will have six towers, 
and Joseph only built one It is easier for us to build .six- 
teen, than it was for him to build one. The time will come 
when there will be one in the centre of temples we shall 
build, and, on the top, groves and fish ponds. But we shall 
not see them here, at present. 1 :132. 

I have determined, by the help of the Lord and this 
people, to build him a house. You may ask, "Will he dwell 



630 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

in it?" He may do just as he pleases, it is not my preroga- 
tive to dictate to the Lord But we will build him a house, 
that, if he pleases*to pay us a visit, he may have a place to 
dwell in, or if he should send any of his servants, we may 
have suitable accommodations for them I have built my- 
self a house, and the most of you have done the same, and 
now, shall we not build the Lord a house? 1 376 

"Does the Lord require the building of a temple at our 
hands?" I can say that he requires it just as much as ever 
he required one to be built elsewhere. If you should ask, 
"Brother Brigham, have you any knowledge concerning 
this; have you ever had a revelation from heaven upon it?" 
I can answer truly, it is before me all the time, not only to- 
day, but it was almost five years ago, when we were on 
this ground, looking for locations, sending our scouting 
parties through the country, to the right and to the left, to 
the north and the south, to the east and the west; before 
we had any leturns from any of them, I knew, just as well 
as I now know, that this was the ground on which to erect 
a temple — it was before me. 1 :277. 

We shall attempt to build a temple to the name of our 
God. This has been attempted several times, but we have 
never yet had the privilege of completing and enjoying one 
Perhaps we may in this place, but if, in the providence of 
God, we should not, it is all the same It is for us to do 
those things which the Lord requires at our hands, and 
leave the result with him. It is for us to labor with a cheer- 
ful good will ; and if we build a temple that is worth a mil- 
lion of money, and it requires all our time and means, we 
should leave it with cheerful hearts, if the Lord m his provi- 
dence tells us so to do If the Lord permits our enemies to 
drive us from it, why, we should abandon it with as much 



TEMPLES AND SALVATION FOR THE DEAD 631 

cheerfulness of heart as we ever enjoy a blessing It is no 
matter to us what the Lord does, or how he disposes of the 
labor of his servants. But when he commands, it is for his 
people to obey. We should be as cheerful in buidhng this 
temple, if we knew beforehand that we should never enter 
into it when it was finished, as we would though we knew 
we were to live here a thousand years to enjoy it. 1 .277. 

I want this temple that we are now building to the name 
of our God, to stand for all time to come as a monument of 
the industry, faithfulness, faith, and integrity of the Latter- 
day Saints who were driven into the mountains I want to 
see the temple finished as soon as it is reasonable and prac- 
ticable. Whether we go in there to work or not makes no 
difference, I am perfectly willing to finish it to the last 
leaf of gold that shall be laid upon it, and to the last lock 
that should be put on the doors, and then lock every door, 
and there let it stand until the earth can rest before the 
Saints commence their labors there They receive more in 
the house of the Lord now than is their due. Our breth- 
ren and sisters, baptized three, four, or six months ago, go 
and get their endowments, the sealing blessings for all eter- 
nity, the highest that can be conferred upon them, yet how 
lightly they are treated ! Many do not consider, they do not 
realize these things. They have not the spirit of revela- 
tion, they do not live for it, hence they do not see these 
things in their proper light, and we are not in such a hurry 
as many think we ought to be 11 372 

The temple will be for the endowments — for the organi- 
zation and instruction of the Priesthood If you want to 
build a temple on these conditions, you can have the privi- 
lege. But I never again want to see one built to go into the 
hands of the wicked. I have asked my Father to give me 



632 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

power to build a temple on this block, but not until I can 
forever maintain my rights in it I would rather see it 
burnt than to see it go into the hands of devils. I was 
thankful to see the temple m Nauvoo on fire. Previous to 
crossing the Mississippi river, we had met in that temple 
and handed it over to the Lord God of Israel ; and when I 
saw the flames, I said, "Good, Father, if you want it to be 
burned up " I hoped to see it burned before I left, but I 
did not. I was glad when I heard of its being destroyed by 
fire, and of the walls having fallen in, and said, "Hell, you 
cannot now occupy it " When the temple is built here, I 
want to maintain it for the use of the Priesthood; if this 
cannot be, I would rather not see it built, but go into the 
mountains and administer there in the ordinances of the 
holy Priesthood, which is our right and privilege. I would 
rather do this than to build a temple for the wicked to tram- 
ple under their feet. 8 203. 

Address at the Laying of the Cornerstone of the Salt 
Lake Temple — This morning we have assembled on one of 
the most solemn, interesting, joyful, and glorious occasions 
that ever have transpired, or will transpire among the chil- 
dren of men, while the earth continues in its present organ- 
ization, and is occupied for its present purposes. And I con- 
gratulate my brethren and sisters that it is our unspeak- 
able privilege to stand here this day, and minister before the 
Lord on an occasion which has caused the tongues and pens 
of Prophets to speak and write for many scores of centuries 
which are past 

When the Lord Jesus Christ tabernacled in the flesh — 
when he had left the most exalted regions of his Father's 
glory, to suffer and shed his blood for sinning, fallen crea- 
tures, like ourselves, and the people crowded around him, 



TFMPI ES AND SALVATION FOR THE DEAD 633 

a certain man said unto him, "Master, I will follow thee 
withersoever thou goest." Jesus said unto him, ''Foxes have 
holes, and the birds of the air have nests , but the Son of 
Man hath nowheie to lay his head" And we find no 
record that this man followed him any farther 

Why had not the Son of Man where to lay his head? 
Because his Father had no house upon the earth— none 
dedicated to him, and preserved for his exclusive use, and 
the benefit of his obedient children. 

The Ark containing the covenant— or the Ark of the 
Covenant in the days of Moses, containing the sacred 
records, was moved from place to place in a cart. And so 
sacred was that Ark, if a man stretched forth his hand to 
steady it, when the cart jostled, he was smitten, and died 
And would to God that all who attempt to do the same in 
this day, figuratively speaking, might share the same fate 
And they will share it sooner or later, if they do not keep 
their hands, and tongues, too, in their proper places, and 
stop dictating the order of the Gods of the Eternal Worlds 

When the Ark of the Covenant rested, or when the Chil- 
dren of Israel had an opportunity to rest (for they were 
mobbed and harrassed somewhat like the Latter-day 
Saints), the Lord, through Moses, commanded a tabernacle 
to be built, wherein should rest and be stationed, the Ark 
of the Covenant And particular instructions were given 
by revelation to Moses, how every part of said tabernacle 
should be constructed, even to the curtains— the number 
thereof, and of what they should be made, and the cover- 
ing, and the wood for the boards, and for the bars, and the 
court, and the pins, and the vessels, and the furniture, and 
everything pertaining to the tabernacle. Why did Moses 
need such a particular revelation to build a tabernacle? Be- 



634 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

cause he had never seen one, and did not know how to build 
it without revelation, without a pattern 

Thus the Ark of the Covenant continued until the days 
of David, King of Israel, standing or occupying a taber- 
nacle, or tent But to David, God gave commandment that 
he should make preparation for a house, wherein he, himself, 
might dwell, or which he might visit, and in which he might 
commune with his servants when he pleased 

From the day the Children of Israel were led out of 
Egypt to the days of Solomon, Jehovah had no resting place 
upon the earth (and for how long a period before that day, 
the history is unpublished), but walked m a tent or taber- 
nacle, before the Ark, as it seemed him good, having no 
place to lay his head. 

David was not permitted to build the house which the 
Lord told him should be built, because he was a "man of 
blood," that is, he was beset by enemies on every hand, and 
had to spend his days in war and bloodshed to save Israel 
(much as the Latter-day Saints have done, only he had the 
privilege of defending himself and the people from mobo- 
crats and murderers, while we have hitherto been denied 
that privilege), and, consequently, he had no time to build a 
house unto the Lord, but, commanded his son Solomon, who 
succeeded him on the throne, to erect the temple at Jerusa- 
lem, which God had required at his hands. 

The pattern of this temple, the length and breadth, and 
height of the inner and outer courts, with all the fixtures 
thereunto appertaining, were given to Solomon by revela- 
tion, through the proper source. And why was this revela- 
tion-pattern necessary ? Because Solomon had never 
built a temple, and did not know what was necessary in the 



TEMPLES AND SALVATION FOR THE DEAD 635 

arrangement of the different apartments, any better than 
Moses did what was needed in the tabernacle. 

This temple, called Solomon's temple, because Solo- 
mon was the master workman, was completed some time 
previous to the appearance of the Son of Man on the earth, 
m the form of the babe of Bethlehem, and had been dedi- 
cated as the house of the Lord, and accepted as a finished 
work by the Father, who commanded it to be built, that his 
Son might have a resting place on the earth, when he should 
enter on his mission. 

Why, then, did Jesus exclaim to the man who volun- 
teered to follow him wheresoever he went, that "the Son of 
Man hath not where to lay his head?" Jesus knew the pre- 
tended samt and follower to be a hypocrite, and that if he 
told him plainly that he would not fare as well as the birds 
and foxes, he would leave him at once, and that would save 
him much trouble. 

But how could Jesus' saying, that he had "not where 
to lay his head," be true? Because the house which the 
Father had commanded to be built for his reception, al- 
though completed, had become polluted, and hence the say- 
ing, "My house is the house of prayer; but ye have made it 
a den of thieves," and he made a scourge of cords, and drove 
the money-changers, and dove-sellers, and faro-gamblers, all 
out of his house, and overthrew their tables , but that did 
not purify the house, so that he could not sleep in it, for an 
holy thing dwelleth not in an unholy temple. 

If Jesus could not lay his head in an unholy, polluted 
temple, how can the Latter-day Saints expect that the Holy 
Spirit will take and abide its residence with them, in their 
tabernacles and temples of clay, unless they keep them- 
selves pure, spotless, and undefiled? 



636 DISCOURSES OF BEIGHAM YOUNG 

It is no wonder that the Son of Man, soon after his 
resurrection from the tomb, ascended to his Father, for he 
had no place on earth to lay his head, his house still re- 
maining in the possession of his enemies, so that no one had 
the privilege of purifying it, if they had the disposition, and 
otherwise the power, to do it; and the occupants thereof 
were professors in name, but hypocrites and apostates, 
from whom no good thing can be expected 

Soon after the ascension of Jesus, through mobocracy, 
martyrdom, and apostasy, the Church of Christ became ex- 
tinct from the earth, the Man Child,-—the Holy Priest- 
hood, was received up into heaven from whence it came, 
and we hear no more of it on the earth, until the angels re- 
stored it to Joseph Smith, by whose ministry the Church of 
Jesus Christ was restored, reorganized on earth, twenty- 
three years ago this day, with the title of Latter-day 
Saints to distinguish them from the Former-day Saints 

Soon after, the Church, through our beloved Prophet 
Joseph, was commanded to build a temple to the Most 
High, in Kirtland, Ohio Joseph not only received revela- 
tion and" commandment to build a temple, but he received a 
pattern also, as did Moses for the tabernacle, and Solomon 
for his temple; for without a pattern, he could not know 
what was wanted, having never seen one, and not having 
experienced its use. 

Without revelation, Joseph could not know what was 
wanted, any more than any other man, and, without com- 
mandment, the Church were too few in number, too weak in 
faith, and too poor in purse, to attempt such a mighty enter- 
prise But by means of all these stimulants, a mere handful 
of men, living on air, and a little hominy and milk, and 
often salt or no salt, when milk could not be had ; the great 



TEMPLES AND SALVATION FOR THE DEAD 637 

Prophet Joseph, in the stone quarry, quarrying rock with 
his own hands ; and the few then in the Church, following 
his example of obedience and diligence wherever most 
needed; with laborers on the walls, holding the sword in 
one hand to protect themselves from the mob, while they 
placed the stone and moved the trowel with the other, the 
Kirtland temple — the second house of the Lord, that we 
have any published record of on the earth, was so far com- 
pleted as to be dedicated And those first Elders who 
helped to build it, received a portion of their first endow- 
ments, or we might say more clearly, some of the first, or 
introductory, or initiatory ordinances, preparatory to an 
endowment 

The preparatory ordinances there administered, though 
accompanied by the ministrations of angels, and the pres- 
ence of the Lord Jesus, were but a faint similitude of the 
ordinances of the house of the Lord in their fulness; yet 
many, through the instigation of the Devil, thought they 
had received all, and knew as much as God ; they have apos- 
tatized, and gone to hell But be assured, brethren, there 
are but few, very few of the Elders of Israel, now on earth, 
who know the meaning of the word endowment. To know, 
they must experience; and to experience, a temple must 
be built. 

Let me give you a definition in brief. Your endowment 
is, to receive all those ordinances in the house of the Lord, 
which are necessary for you, after you have departed this 
life, to enable you to walk back to the presence of the 
Father, passing the angels who stand as sentinels, being 
enabled to give them the key words, the signs and tokens, 
pertaining to the holy Priesthood, and gain your eternal 
exaltation in spite of earth and hell. 



638 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

Who has received and understands such an endowment, 
in this assembly ? You need not answer. Your voices 
would be few and far between, yet the keys to these en- 
dowments are among* you, and thousands have received 
them, so that the Devil, with all his aids, need not suppose 
he can again destroy the holy Priesthood from the earth, 
by killing a few, for he cannot do it. God has set his hand, 
for the last time, to redeem his people, the honest in heart, 
and Lucifer cannot hinder him. 

Before these endowments could be given at Kirtland, the 
Saints had to flee before mobocracy. And, by toil and 
daily labor, they found places in Missouri, where they laid 
the cornerstones of temples, in Zion and her stakes, and 
then had to retreat to Illinois, to save the lives of those who 
could get away alive from Missouri, where fell the Apostle 
David W Patten, with many like associates, and where 
were imprisoned in loathsome dungeons, Joseph and 
Hyrum, and many others. But before all this had trans- 
pired, the temple at Kirtland had fallen into the hands of 
wicked men, and by them been polluted, like the temple at 
Jerusalem, and consequently it was disowned by the Father 
and the Son 

At Nauvoo, Joseph dedicated another temple, the third 
on record. He knew what was wanted, for he had pre- 
viously given most of the prominent individuals then before 
him their endowment. He needed no revelation then, of a 
thing he had long experienced, any more than those now 
do, who have experienced the same things. It is only where 
experience fails, that revelation is needed. 

Before the Nauvoo temple was completed, Joseph was 
murdered — murdered at sun light, under the protection of 
the most noble Government that then existed, and that now 



TEMPLES AND SALVATION FOR THE DEAD 639 

exists, on our earth. Has his blood been atoned for? No! 
And why> A martyr's blood to true religion was never 
atoned for on our earth. No man, or nation of men, without 
the Priesthood, has power to make atonement for such sins 
The souls of all such, since the days of Jesus, are "under the 
altar," and are crying to God, day and night, for vengeance. 
And shall they cry in vain ? God forbid ! He has prom- 
ised he will hear them in his own due time, and recompense 
a righteous reward. 

But what of the temple in Nauvoo? By the aid of sword 
in one hand, and trowel and hammer in the other, with fire 
arms at hand, and a strong band of police, and the blessings 
of heaven, the Saints, through hunger, and thirst, and weari- 
ness, and watchmgs, and prayings, so far completed the 
temple, despite the devices of the mob, that many received 
a small portion of their endowment, but we know of no one 
who received it in its fulness. And then, to save the lives 
of all the Saints from cruel murder, we removed westward, 
and being led by the all-searching eye of the great Jehovah, 
we arrived at this place. 

Of our journey hither, we need say nothing, only, God 
led us Of the sufferings of those who were compelled to, 
and did, leave Nauvoo in the winter of 1846, we need say 
nothing. Those who experienced it know it, and those 
who did not, to tell them of it would be like exhibiting a 
beautiful painting to a blind man. 

We will not stop to tell you of the sufferings of widows 
and orphans on Omaha lands, while their husbands and 
fathers were traversing the burning plains of the south, to 
fight the battles of a country which had banished them 
from civilization, for they secured the land on which we 
dwell, from our Nation's foe, exposed the gold of California, 



640 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

and turned the world upside down. All these things are 
before you, you know them, and we need not repeat them 

While these things were transpiring with the Saints in 
the wilderness, the temple at Nauvoo passed into the hands 
of the enemy, who polluted it to that extent the Lord not 
only ceased to occupy it, but he loathed to have it called by 
his name, and permitted the wrath of its possessors to 
purify it by fire, as a token of what will speedily fall upon 
them and their habitations unless they repent 

But what are we here for, this day? To celebrate the 
birthday of our religion ' To lay the foundation of a temple 
to the Most High God, so that when his Son, our Elder 
Brother, shall agam appear, he may have a place where he 
can lay his head, and not only spend a night or a day, but 
find a place of peace, that he may stay till he can say, "I 
am satisfied " 

Brethren, shall the Son of Man be satisfied with our 
proceedings this day ? Shall we have a house on the earth 
which he can call his own? Shall we have a place where 
he can lay his head, and rest over night, and tarry as long 
as he pleases, and be satisfied and pleased with his accom- 
modations ? 

These are questions for you to answei . If you say yes, 
you have got to do the work, or it will not be done We 
do not want any whiners about this temple If you cannot 
commence cheerfully, and go through the labor of the whole 
building cheerfully, start for California, and the quicker 
the better. Make you a golden calf, and worship it. If 
your care for the ordinances of salvation, for yourselves v 
your living, and dead, is not first and foremost in your 
hearts, in your actions, and in everything you possess, go ! 
Pay your debts, if you have any, and go in peace, and prove 



TEMPLES AND SALVATION FOR THE DEAD 641 

to God and all his Saints that you are what you profess to 
be, by your acts. 

But if you are what you profess to be, do your duty- 
stay with the Saints, pay your tithing, and be prompt in 
paying, as you are in feeding your family , and the temple, 
of which we have now laid the southeast corner stone, will 
arise in beauty and grandeur, in a manner and time which 
you have not hitherto known or contemplated 

The Saints of these valleys have grown in riches, and 
abundance of the comforts of life, in a manner hitherto un- 
paralleled on the page of history, and if they will do by their 
Heavenly Father as he has done by them, soon will this 
temple be inclosed. But if you go in for a speculation 
with passers by, as many have hitherto done, you will not 
live to see the topstone of this temple laid ; and your labors 
and toils for yourselves and friends, dead and alive, will be 
worse than though you had no existence. 

We dedicate this, the southeast corner stone of this 
temple, to the Most High God May it remain in peace till 
it has done its work, and until he who has inspired our 
hearts to fulfil the prophecies of his holy Prophets, that the 
house of the Lord should be reared in the "Tops of the 
Mountains" shall be satisfied, and say, "It is enough " And 
may every tongue, pen, and weapon, that may rise against 
this or any other corner stone of this building, feel the wrath 
and scourging of an incensed God! May sinners in Zion 
be afraid, and fearfulness surprise the hypocrite, from this 
hour. And may all who do not feel to say Amen, go speed- 
ily to that long night of rest from which no sleeper will 
awake, till roused by -the trump of the second resurrection 
2 29-33. 

St. George Temple— Now we have a temple which will 



642 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

all be finished in a few days, and of which there is enough 
completed to commence work therein, which has not been 
done since the days of Adam, that we have any knowledge 
of 18 304. 

We have dedicated this spot of ground upon which we 
expect to erect a temple in which to administer the or- 
dinances of the House of God. Into this house, when it is 
completed, we expect to enter to enjoy the blessings of the 
Priesthood, and receive our washings, our anointings, our 
endowments, and our seahngs, and the brethren will be 
sealed to brethren to connect the links and make perfect the 
chain from ourselves to Father Adam. This is the object 
of the temple which we are about to commence building 
at this place 19.33. 

Never have I seen to so great an extent that willingness 
to labor for the cause of nghteousness, which was witnessed 
in the temple at St. George last winter. The Spirit of God 
pervaded the hearts of the brethren and sisters, and how 
willing they were to labor » This work will continue, and 
the brethren and sisters will go into the temples of the Lord, 
to officiate for those who have died without the Gospel from 
the days of Father Adam to the winding up scene, until 
every one is officiated for; who can or will receive the 
Gospel so that all may have the opportunity and privileges 
of life and salvatiqn 

Don't you think we have a work to perform ? Yes, and 
it will take a thousand years to accomplish it In the 
temple last winter the brethren and sisters enjoyed them- 
selves the best that they ever did in their lives So they 
said And our children, just old enough to work, how hap- 
py they were! They would exclaim, "I never knew any- 
thing about 'Mormonism' before !" If vou were in the tern- 



TEMPLES AND SALVATION FOR THE DEAD 643 

pie of God working for the living and the dead, your eyes 
and hearts would not be after the fashions of the world, 
nor the wealth of the world. Yet the whole of this world's 
wealth belongs to the Lord, and he can give to whomsoever 
he pleases 19 45. 

I am aware that you wish to hear something of our 
labors in the south. I will say that we have had a blessed 
time, such a time as no other people on the earth have en- 
joyed for many centuries, that we have any knowledge of 
We have been permitted to enjoy privileges for the posses- 
sion of which we have been striving and laboring for many 
years. For almost half a century we have been exerting 
ourselves that we might have the privilege of entering into 
a temple of God, there to officiate and receive the ordi- 
nances of his holy house, both for ourselves and for our 
friends that have slept without the Gospel This privilege 
and blessing we have not enjoyed until within a very few 
months past The feeling experienced by those who have 
participated in the blessings administered in the temple is 
something which cannot be described to your understand- 
ing Those only who have shared with us in the temple 
ordinances know for themselves the satisfaction there is 
in realizing that we are indeed co-workers with our Lord 
and Savior; that we bear a humble part in the great work 
of salvation, that we have the privilege of receiving and 
obeying the truth, and of securing to ourselves that happi- 
ness which the Gospel alone affords ; and not only of per- 
forming these ordinances for ourselves, but of doing the 
necessary work for our parents and forefathers who have 
slept without the Gospel, that they may partake also of the 
waters of life, and be judged according to men in the flesh 
This is a privilege, a blessing, which no one can sense un- 



644 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

less he is in possession of it. We are happy to know by our 
faith and feelings through the spirit of revelation within us 
that our labors have been accepted of the Lord. We have 
enjoyed ourselves exceedingly in the society of each other; 
the aged, the middle-aged and the youth have rejoiced and 
been made glad in this glorious work. 19.1. 

"We are now prepared to attend to baptizing and giv- 
ing endowments, and shall appoint Tuesdays and Wednes- 
days for baptisms, and Thursdays and Fridays for endow- 
ments and sealings, as a standing appointment for the 
present" 18-305. 

I am so thankful we have completed our temple, it is 
the greatest blessing that could be bestowed upon us. I 
know of nothing that could equal it. But we are not satis- 
fied with this one, we must hurry the building of another 
one, and thus another one and so on, and perform the great 
work therein that is required at our hands. 19 '222. 

We enjoy privileges that are enjoyed by no one else on 
the face of the earth. Suppose we were awake to this thing, 
namely, the salvation of the human family, this house 
would be crowded, as we hope it will be, from Monday 
morning until Saturday night. This house (St. George) 
was built here in this place purposely, where it is warm and 
pleasant in the winter time, and comfortable to work, also 
for the Lamanites, and also those coming from the south, 
and other places to receive their endowments, and other 
blessings. 18:304. 



CHAPTER XXXVII 
MAN'S SEARCH FOR TRUTH AND SALVATION 

Man Desires Salvation — Honest hearts, the world over, 
desire to know the right way. They have sought for it, and 
still seek it. There have been people upon the earth all the 
time who sought diligently with all their hearts to know 
the .ways of the Lord. Those individuals have produced 
good, inasmuch as they had the ability. And to believe that 
there has been no virtue, no truth, no good upon the earth 
for centuries, until the Lord revealed the Priesthood 
through Joseph the Prophet, I shall say is wrong. There 
has been more or less virtue and righteousness upon the 
earth at all times from the days of Adam until now. That 
we all believe. 6:170. 

Until they sin away the day of grace, there is something 
in all persons that would delight to rise up and reject the 
evil and embrace the truth. There is not a person on the 
earth so vile but, when he looks into his own heart, honors 
the man of God and the woman of God — the virtuous and 
holy — and despises his comrades in iniquity who are like 
himself. There is not a man upon the earth, this side of 
saving grace, unless he has sinned so far that the Spirit of 
the Lord has ceased to strive with him and enlighten his 
mind, but delights in the good, in the truth, and in the 
virtuous. 8 :326. 

Reflect for a moment upon the sensitive faculty im- 
planted within us. We know when we touch anything with 
our hands. When we discern an object with our eyes, we 
know that we see. How do we know? By a principle com- 
mon to all intelligent beings— by the sensations God has 



646 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

placed within us Were it not foi this, the eye could not 
see, nor sensation be communicated by touch Were it not 
for the intelligent principle God has placed within us, we 
could neither feel, see, hear, taste, nor smell 

It is recorded that some have eyes to see, and see not, 
ears to hear, and hear not , hearts have they, but they under- 
stand not. You who are spintually-mmded, who have the 
visions of your minds opened— have studied yourselves, 
your organizations, the power by which you have been or- 
ganized, and the influences that act upon you, can under- 
stand that the power that has given you physical sensation 
is the power of the same God that gives you understanding 
of the truth. The latter power is inward My inward eyes 
see, my inward hands handle, my inward taste tastes of the 
word of God The Apostle used this language. He spoke of 
tasting the good word of God and the powers of the world 
to come. Do you taste ? Yes, by the sensations God has 
planted within you. Thousands and thousands know, by 
their inward and invisible sensation, things that have been, 
things that are, and things that are in the future, as well as 
they know the color of a piece of cloth by means of 
their outward or physical vision. When this inner light 
is taken fiom them, they become darker than they were be- 
fore, they cannot understand, and turn away from the things 
of God. 8 41 

Descend from the busy, wealth-seeking middle classes, 
to the humbler grade of society, and follow them in their 
various occupations and pursuits, and each one of them is 
seeking earnestly that which he imagines to be salvation. 
The poor, ragged, trembling mendicant, who is forced by 
hunger and cold to drag his feeble body from under some 
temporary shelter, to seek a bit of bread, or a coin from his 



man's search for truth and salvation 647 

more fortunate fellow-mortal, if he can only obtain a few 
crusts of bread to satisfy the hunger-woim that gnaws his 
vitals, and a few coppers to pay his lodgings, he has attained 
to the summit of his expectations, to what he sought for— 
salvation, and he is comparatively happy, but his happiness 
vanishes with the shades of night, and his misery comes 
with the morning light. From the match-maker up to the 
tradesman, all have an end in view, which they suppose will 
bring to them salvation. King, courtier, commanders, of- 
ficers, and common soldiers, the commodore, and sailor be- 
fore the mast, the fair-skinned Christian, and the dark- 
skinned savage, all, in their respective grades and spheres 
of action, have a certain point in view, which, if they can 
obtain, they suppose will put them in possession of salva- 
tion 1.1. 

Humanity Loves Truth and Righteousness—What 
would satisfy the children of men, if they had it in their 
possession? Only truth and the true principles and con- 
duct flowing from its observance. True, certain classes of 
the inhabitants of the earth are pretty well satisfied with 
themselves, through their researches in the philosophies of 
the day; and yet they are not fully satisfied. What will 
satisfy us ? If we understood all principles and powers that 
are, that have been, and that are to come, and had wisdom 
sufficient to control powers and elements with which we 
are associated, perhaps we would then be satisfied. If this 
will not satisfy the human mind, there is nothing that will 
7 2. 

The spirit which inhabits these tabernacles naturally 
loves truth, it naturally loves light and intelligence, it 
naturally loves virtue, God and godliness; but being so 
closely united with the flesh their sympathies are blended, 



648 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

and their union being necessary to the possession of a ful- 
ness of joy to both, the spirit is indeed subject to be in- 
fluenced by the sin that is in the mortal body, and to be 
overcome by it and by the power of the Devil, unless it is 
constantly enlightened by that spirit which enlighteneth 
every man that cometh into the world, and by the power of 
the Holy Ghost which is imparted through the Gospel In 
this, and this alone, consists the warfare between Christ and 
the Devil. 11.237. 

The greater portion of the inhabitants of the earth are 
inclined to do right. That is true There is a monitor in 
every person that would reign there triumphantly, if per- 
mitted so to do, and lead to truth and virtue. 8 .320 

As to the mortals of the world, I have said it a great 
many times and still say that there are just as good men 
and women on the earth in other societies and communities 
as we have here, as far as they understand ; and we are after 
such ones. 12:326. 

There are as honest men m other churches as there are 
in ours. 8*357. 

Human Family Alike in Sentiments— In reality, the in- 
habitants of the earth do not vary so much in their senti- 
ments as they do in the explaining of them to each other. 
This I have good reason to believe , when feelings and ideas 
are explained, people vary more in language than in 
sentiment,, yet they differ widely in their sentiments, feel- 
ings, customs, habits, and manner of life 1 .74. 

When we see and comprehend things in the spirit, we 
oftimes realize an utter inability to simplify and tell them 
in our language, to others; though we may receive prin- 
ciples, and convey the same to others, to some extent It 
would be a great consolation to me, inasmuch as faith comes 



man's search for truth and salvation 649 

by hearing the word of God, if I had language to express my 
feelings. No man can tell all that he can see m the spirit, 
when the vision of the spirit is upon him. He can see and 
understand m the spirit only. He cannot tell it, yet many 
things may be given, in part, to others. 1 115. 

A Variety of Human Gifts— I am sensible that people 
are not gifted and capacitated alike There is not that depth 
of understanding and intensity of thought in some that there 
is in others, neither is there the same scope of perception. 
Some are quick to apprehend, while others are slow. 6 .93 

We all enjoy the power of sight, but how differently we 
look at and comprehend things' And we are very much 
like the people who have lived before us We are a strange 
and curious composition — no two alike. Of all the faces 
before me this afternoon there are no two alike. We might 
possibly find those whose judgment would be pretty much 
alike on various subjects, still there are no two whose judg- 
ments are precisely the same. Human life is a great stage, 
and it contains a very great variety of scenes and scenery, 
of thought and of action. 16 23. 

There is quite a diversity in men as to their capacity for 
learning, and also in regard to retaining what they learn 
Some comprehend their lessons quickly, while others are not 
so gifted. I have also noticed that some children commit 
their lessons quickly and well, but ask them the meaning 
and intent of what they have committed, and they cannot 
answer you; while others pay more attention to the intent 
and meaning of what they learn. Such is the case with all 
persons, no matter what their age, and some are capacitated 
to receive more and faster than others. 8.158. 

Let the people tyring out their talents, and have the 
variety withm them brought forth and made manifest so 



650 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

that we can behold it, like the variety in the works of na- 
ture See the variety God has cieated— -no two trees alike, 
no two leaves, no two spears of grass alike. The same 
variety that we see in all the works of God, that we see in 
the features, visages and forms, exists in the spirits of men 
Now let us develop the variety within us, and show to the 
world that we have talent and taste, and prove to the heav- 
ens that our minds are set on beauty and true excellence, 
so that we can become worthy to enjoy the society of 
angels, and raise ourselves above the level of the wicked 
world and begin to increase in faith, and the power that God 
has given us, and so show to the world an example worthy 
of imitation 11 305 

Man's Powers are Limited — The inhabitants of the 
earth have the pleasure of performing the labors they list 
to do, but they have never enjoyed the privilege of con- 
trolling the results of their labors, and never will until they 
are crowned with glory, immortality and eternal lives We 
have the privilege of going to the gold mines, or staying at 
home; of serving God, or not serving him, but the result 
of our acts is not m our hands, it is in the hands of our 
Father and God So it is with individuals, with neighbor- 
hoods, with communities, and with the nations of the earth 
10.331. 

If the Latter-day Saints and all the world understood 
the philosophy of their own being, they would bow in hum- 
ble reverence to him who is the Author of our being and 
the Author of all wisdom and all knowledge known among 
the children of men It is very little comparatively that 
we do know, and but veiy little we can really comprehend. 
It is believed that our scientists and philosophers are very 
far advanced, and that wonderful progress has been made 



man's search for .truth and salvation 651 

in the nineteenth century; but notwithstanding all the 
knowledge and power of philosophy which so distinguish 
our age, who among our most learned can create as simple 
a thing as a spear of grass, or the leaf of a tree? No one; 
this can only be done through the natural process ; no one 
can organize the simplest particle of element independent 
of the laws of nature. When the philosopher of the age 
reaches that peifection that one can waft himself to the 
moon or to the North star, or to any other of the fixed 
stars, and be there in an instant, in the same manner that 
Jesus did when he ascended to the Father in heaven and 
returned to the eaith again, then we may begin to think 
we know a little. When we shall possess the power and 
knowledge to cause heavenly planets to take their position, 
giving them their laws and boundaries which they must 
obey, and which they cannot pass, then we may begin to feel 
that we possess a little wisdom and power. 18:259. 

If I look through my telescope, and my friends inquire 
how far I can see, I tell them I can see anything in sight, no 
matter how far from me the object may be; but I cannot 
see anything out of sight, or that which is beyond the power 
of the instrument. So it is in the intellectual faculties of 
mankind; it is easy for them to see that which is before 
their eyes, but when the object is out of sight, it is a diffi- 
cult matter for them to see it ; and they are at a loss how to 
form an estimate of it, or what position to put themselves 
in, so as to see the object they desire to see, 1:351. 

There is but a hair's breadth between the vulgar and 
sublime. There is but a hair's breadth between the depths 
of infidelity and the heights of the faith of the Gods. Man 
is here like a feather trembling between the two, liable con- 
tinually to be operated upon by the power of the enemy; 



652 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

and it is through that power that the children of men are 
made to doubt the evidences of their own senses, when, at 
the same time, if they would reflect for a moment and listen 
to the intelligence which God has placed within them, they 
would know, when they saw what is termed a miracle, the 
power by which it is wrought ; they would know when they 
have seen with their eyes and felt with their hands, or when 
they have had a heavenly vision 7 163-164. 

Man Must Have Confidence in Himself-— We must be 
ourselves. 3 365. 

There are a great many men who know but little about 
what they can do, and there are a great many women that 
never consider what they can perform , people do not fully 
reflect upon their own acts, upon their own ability, and 
therefore do not understand what they are capable of doing 
4 101 

It is not for any man to think he is a cipher — that what 
he can do will not tell m this matter, and say, "They will 
get along- well enough without me." 1 .53 

When a person is thinking all the time he is little better 
than a machine, he perverts the purpose of his organiza- 
tion, and injures both mind and body. Why? Because the 
mental labor does not find vent through the organism of 
the tabernacle, and has not that scope— that field of labor 
which it desires, and which it was wisely designed that it 
should have Think according to your labor, labor accord- 
ing to your thinking. 3 .248 

Man Always Dependent— Shall we ever see the time we 
shall be perfectly independent of every other being in all the 
eternities ? No ; we shall never see that time. Many have 
fallen on as simple ground as this, and were I to use a 
Western term, I would say, "They were troubled with a big 



man's search for truth and salvation 653 

head." Such persons think they have power to do this, that, 
and the other, but they are left to themselves, and the Lord 
loves to show them they have no power. 1 :338. 

We Must Fight Our Battles— But some may say, "I 
have faith the Lord will turn them away." What ground 
have we to hope this? Have I any good reason to say to 
my Father in Heaven, ''Fight my battles," when he has 
given me the sword to wield, the arm and the brain that I 
can fight for myself? Can I ask him to fight my battles and 
sit quietly down waiting for him to do so? I cannot lean 
pray the people to hearken to wisdom, to listen to counsel ; 
but to ask God to do for me that which I can do for myself 
is preposterous to my mind. 12:240-1. 

How to Know Oneself— -No man can know himself un- 
less he knows God, and he cannot know God unless he 
knows himself. 16:75. 

Our Good Character Must Be Cherished — When a man 
by his course in life has acquired a character that is spotless, 
it is a priceless jewel, and nothing should induce him to 
barter it away. If the wicked try to bring a blemish or cast 
a stain upon it their efforts will not be successful. They 
may throw their mud, but it will not stain the garments of 
the pure and holy. 13 :218. 

"Are our characters our own ?" We may say, "Yes, we 
form these characters." Suppose that we are fortunate 
enough to form a good, honest character in the minds and 
in the faith of those who are acquainted with us, do not 
those characters belong to our neighbors, although we may 
be the framers of them? And I would like to ask, have we 
the right to destroy them? It is a serious question with me. 
If we have confidence in each other, and our conduct has 
been such that we have created confidence in the feelings of 



654 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

our neighbors towaid us, have we a right to destroy that 
confidence? Is it not sacrilege? I will simply reply by 
giving my views with regard to myself Accoidmg to the 
knowledge which I possess it is a great deal easier for an 
individual to preserve a good character than to frame and 
make one if it is lost It is much easier to keep a fort when 
it is well armed and defended than to give it into the hands 
of the enemy and then regain it Consequently, we had 
better keep our characters, if they are good, than to suffer 
the enemy to rob us of them 14 277. 

The Need of Leaders— The whole world are sadly in 
want of what they call a master-spirit 6 '44. 

When I say rule, I do not mean with an iron hand, but 
merely to take the lead— to lead them in the path I wish 
them to walk in They may be determined not to answer 
my will, but they are doing it all the time without knowing 
it 9.195. 

It is not every man that is capable of filling every sta- 
tion, though there is no man but what is capable of filling 
his proper station, and that, too, with dignity and honor to 
himself When you find a person that is capable of receiv- 
ing light and wisdom, one that can descend to the capacity 
of the weakest of the weak, and can comprehend the high- 
est and most noble intelligence that can be obtained by man, 
can receive it with all ease, and comprehend it, circumscribe 
it, understand it from first to last, that is the man 'that can 
ripen for eternity m a few years ; that is the individual who 
is capable of occupying stations that many cannot occupy. 
4 '130. 

Let the people see to it that they gQt righteous men to be 
their leaders, who will labor with their hands and admin- 
ister to their own necessities, sit in judgment, legislate, and 



man's search for truth and salvation 655 

govern in righteousness; and officers that are filled with 
peace ; and see to it that every man that goes forth among 
the people as a traveling officer is full of the fear of the 
Lord, and would rather do 1 ight at a sacrifice than do wrong 
for a reward. 7*12, 

Duty and Responsibility of Man— "To mind your own 
business" incorporates the whole duty of man. 10.295 

What is the duty of a Latter-day Saint? To do all the 
good he can upon the earth, living in the discharge of every 
duty obligatory upon him. 10 :295. 

His labor is to build up, not to destroy; to gather to- 
gether, not to scatter abroad ; to take the ignorant and lead 
them to wibdom; to pick up the poor and bring them to 
comfortable circumstances. This is our labor — what we 
have to do 10:316. 

It is the business of a Latter-day Saint, in passing 
through the street, if he sees a fence pole down, to put it up ; 
if he sees an animal in the mud to stop and help get it out 
10:296. 

The greater our privileges and the greater the blessings 
bestowed upon us, the more faithfulness and diligence are 
required in our callings to save the children of men. 7 27 A. 

There are men upon whom God has bestowed gifts and 
graces, and women who are endowed with strong mental 
ability, and yet they cannot receive the truth ; and then the 
truth condemns them; it leaves them in darkness. When 
they cannot receive every truth, let it be ever so important 
or unimportant to them, their neglect to grasp in their faith 
the truth God reveals for their benefit weakens them, com- 
paratively, from the crowns of their heads to the soles of 
their feet, and the enemy may have the advantage over 
them in an hour when they think not. 8 :59. 



656 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

Strive to be righteous, not for any speculation, but be- 
cause righteousness is lovely, pure, holy, beautiful, and ex- 
alting; it is designed to make the soul happy and full of joy, 
to the extent of the whole capacity of man, filling him with 
light, glory, and intelligence. 8:172. 

If we do the best we know how, and yet commit many 
acts that are wrong and contrary to the counsel given to us, 
there is hope in our case. 2 :132. 



CHAPTER XXXVIII 
THE TESTIMONY OF THE TRUTH 

All Latter-day Saints May Know the Gospel Is True- 
It is a special piivilcge and blessing of the holy Gospel to 
every true believer, to know the truth for himself. 1 :234. 

It is both the duty and privilege of the Latter-day Saints 
to know that their religion is true. 8 :148. 

We are the witnesses of this great work which the Lord 
has commenced in the latter days. 11 *213. 

Let every one get a knowledge for himself that this work 
is true. We do not want you to say that it is true until 
you know that it is; and if you know it, that knowledge is 
as good to you as though the Lord came down and told 
you 8:142. 

There is not a man or a woman on this earth who re- 
ceives the spirit of the Gospel but what can testify to its 
truth. 11:213. 

We must have the testimony of the Lord Jesus to enable 
us to discern between truth and error, light and darkness, 
him who is of God, and him who is not of God, and to know 
how to place everything where it belongs. That is the only 
way to be a scientific Christian; there is no other method 
or process which will actually school a person so that he can 
become a Saint of God, and prepare him for a celestial 
glory ; he must have within him the testimony of the spirit 
of the Gospel. 3 :155. 

If you are satisfied, in your sensitive powers and facul- 
ties, that God has revealed the holy Priesthood, established 
his Kingdom upon the earth, restored the fulness of the 
Gospel, and set his hand to gather the House of Israel, 



658 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

;# 
this will answer your purpose just as well as though you 
went into heaven to see for yourselves 8 261. 

If I attain to the knowledge of all true principles that 
have ever existed, and do not govern myself by them, they 
will damn me deeper in hell than if I had never known any- 
thing about them. 1 .244 

How a Witness of the Truth Is Won— I do not want 
men to come to me or my brethren for testimony as to the 
truth of this work; but let them take the Scriptures of divine 
truth, and there the path is pointed out to them as plainly as 
ever a guideboard indicated the right path to the weary 
traveler. There they are directed to go, not to Brothers 
Bngham, Heber, or Daniel, to any Apostle or Elder m 
Israel, but to the Father in the name of Jesus, and ask for 
the information they need. Can they who take this course 
in honesty and sincerity receive information? Will the 
Lord turn away from the honest heart seeking for truth ? 
No, he will not ; he will prove to them, by the revelations of 
his Spirit, the facts m the case. And when the mind is open 
to the revelations of the Lord it comprehends them quicker 
and keener than anything that is seen by the natural eye 
It is not what we see with our eyes— they may be deceived 
—but what is revealed by the Lord from heaven that is sure 
and steadfast, and abides forever We do not want the peo- 
ple to rely on human testimony, although that cannot be 
confuted and destroyed , still, there is a more sure word of 
prophecy that all may gain if they will seek it earnestly be- 
fore the Lord. 12.96. 

You and I must have the testimony of Jesus within us, 
or it is of but little use for us to pretend to be servants of 
God We must have that living witness within us 4 -368 

I will now make a few remarks upon testimony I have 



THE TESTIMONY OF THE TRUTH 659 

heaid a great many Elders m this Church, and people who 
were professing Chiibtians before this woik was revealed, 
testifying of the things of God Men rise up here and say 
they do know that this is the work of God, that Joseph was 
a Prophet, that the Book of Mormon is true, that the reve- 
lations through Joseph Smith are true, and this is the last 
dispensation and the fulness of times, wherein God has set 
his hand to gather Israel for the last time, and redeem 
and build up Zion on this land. How do they know this? 
Persons know and will continue to know and understand 
many things by the manifestations of the Spirit, that 
through the organization of the tabernacle it is impossible 
otherwise to convey Much of the most important informa- 
tion is alone derived through the power and testimony of 
the Holy Ghost in the speaker, revealing itself to the under- 
standing and spirit of the hearer This is the only way you 
can convey a knowledge of the invisible things of God 
841 

A man or woman desirous of knowing the truth, upon 
hearing the Gospel of the Son of God proclaimed in truth 
and simplicity, should ask the Father, in the name of Jesus, 
if this is true. If they do not take this course, they try and 
argue themselves into the belief that they are as honest as 
any man or woman can be on the face of the earth , but they 
are not, they are careless as to their own best interests 
12,95. 

On the other hand, nothing short of the power of the 
Almighty, nothing short of the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ, 
can prove to you that this is the work of God Men un- 
inspired of God cannot by their worldly wisdom disprove 
it, or prevail against it; neither can they by wisdom alone 
prove it to be true, either to themselves or to others Their 



660 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

not being able to prevail against it does not prove it to be 
the Kingdom of God, for there are many theories and sys- 
tems on the earth, incontrovertible by the wisdom of the 
world, which are nevertheless false Nothing less than the 
power of the Almighty, enlightening the understanding of 
men, can demonstrate this glorious truth to the human 
mind. 1.310. 

How are we to know the voice of the Good Shepherd 
from the voice of a stranger? Can any person answer this 
question? I can It is very easy To every philosopher 
upon the earth, I say, your eye can be deceived, so can 
mine; your ear can be deceived, so can mine; the touch of 
your hand can be deceived, so can mine ; but the Spirit of 
God filling the creature with revelation and the light of 
eternity, cannot be mistaken— the revelation which comes 
from God is never mistaken When an individual, filled 
with the Spirit of God, declares the truth of heaven, the 
sheep hear that, the Spirit of the Lord pierces their inmost 
souls and sinks deep into their hearts ; by the testimony of 
the Holy Ghost light springs up within them, and they see 
and understand for themselves. This is the way the Gospel 
should be preached by every Elder in Israel, and by this 
power every hearer should hear; and if we would know 
the voice of the Good Shepherd, we must live so that the 
Spirit of the Lord can find its way to our hearts. 16 74. 

Peter was blessed, because he had eyes to see ; and when 
he saw with his spiritual eyes, he acknowledged it He was 
not so proud and high-minded as to turn round and deny. 
If the conviction of their own minds had free course, and 
were not trammeled through their erroneous traditions, 
millions and millions would hail this day with thanksgiving 
7:8 



THE TESTIMONY OF THE TRUTH 661 

If there is a person in the midst of the Latter-day Saints 
—one who has named the name of Christ as a Latter-day 
Saint, that can ask for any more literal testimony than we 
have, I do not know what he would ask. He might wish to 
see some person that had power to bring file down from 
heaven. Should such a person appear, the exercise of that 
power would by no means prove that he was a messenger 
of salvation. Or suppose that I should see a man capable 
of raising the dead every hour in a day, could I merely for 
that believe he was sent of God ? No. Some may think it 
strange, but should I see a man come along here and cast 
his cane on the floor, and it became a serpent and ran out 
of the door, would I any more believe that man to be sent 
of God ? No, I would not. Were I to see a person fill the 
air with living creatures, turn the dust into life, or the river 
Jordan into blood, do you suppose I would any more for 
that consider that man sent of God? Not in the least. 
There is but one witness — one testimony, pertaining to the 
evidence of the Gospel of the son of God, and that is the 
Spirit that he diffused among his disciples. Do his will, 
and we shall know whether he speaks by the authority of 
the Father or of himself. Do as he commands us to do, and 
we shall know of the doctrine, whether it is of God or not 
It is only by the revelations of the Spirit that we can know 
the things of God. 9-2 

Many men and women who have obeyed the Gospel, and 
have not received from the Lord these striking testimonies, 
will say, "Well, I really do not know that I can tell whether 
the Gospel is true or not " To all such I say, Then you are 
no philosopher at all, for upon the rational principles of 
common philosophy you can tell whether it is true or not. 
Does it contain the seeds of life? Does it promote the 



662 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

plants and yield the fruits of life, or does it produce the 
plants and yield the fruits of death? Not that I wish to 
make a mere historical convert, or a people who believe his- 
torically, mathematically, or philosophically; but I know 
and understand that the Lord never leaves his children 
without a witness 14 '112 

The older portion of this community embraced the truth 
through the conviction of it, and prayed unto the Lord for 
the light of it, and they received the testimony of the Spirit 
of God , but our children do not know the greatness of their 
blessings and privileges They are entitled to the spirit of 
the Gospel from their mothers' wombs, they have it with 
them all the time; they are born in it. 11 215. 

A great many come to me and say, "I wish to do exactly 
as the Lord shall direct through yon, Brother Brigham." 
If I had the word of the Lord, I would not dare give it to 
them, unless I knew it was an absolute duty. They never 
would obey it, because they are taught the word of the 
Lord here all the time, but do they hearken to it? Those 
who have wisdom within themselves, who have in posses- 
sion the spirit of the Gospel, know what they hear from 
this stand. They know truth from error; they are satis- 
fied, and never ask the Lord to give them more revelation, 
but to give them grace to observe and keep what they have 
received. 3 338. 

Truth commends itself to every honest person, it matters 
not how simply it is told, and when it is received it seems 
as though we had been acquainted with it all our lives Tt 
is the testimony of the majority of the Latter-day Saints 
that when they first heard the Gospel preached, as con- 
tained m the Bible and Doctrine and Covenants, although 
entirely new to them, it seemed as though they already 



THE TESTIMONY OF THE TRUTH 663 

understood it, and that they must have been "Mormons" 
from the beginning 19.42 

I frequently think that the only way for a man to prove 
any fact in the world is by experience. We go, for in- 
stance, into an orchard and someone says there is a sweet 
apple tree, and he may say the same of other trees, but 
without tasting, how shall I know they are sweet? Unless 
I taste of them I cannot know it I may take the testimony 
of others who have tasted them, as to whether they are 
sweet, sour or bitter, but without tasting it cannot prove 
to my senses that they are so. Now, as I understand it, it 
is the same with all facts that have come to the knowledge 
of all beings in heaven, or on earth — all facts are proved 
and made manifest by their opposite. 13 .59. 

My testimony is based upon experience, upon my own 
experience, in connection with that obtained by observing 
others. To me it has become positively true — no doubt re- 
mains upon my mind, whatever, as to the power of the re- 
vealed will of heaven to man upon the minds of the people, 
when the principles of salvation are set before them by the 
authorized ministers of heaven. The heavenly truth com- 
mends itself to every person's judgment and to their faith, 
and more especially to the sense of those who wish to Jbe 
honest with themselves, ' with their God, and with their 
neighbor Yet I must admit that all men are not operated 
upon alike, the evidence of truth comes more forcibly to 
the understandings of some than others This is owing to 
numerous influences The Gospel may be preached to an 
individual, and the truth commend itself to the conscience of 
that person, creating but a little faith in its truth, to which 
there may be an addition made If persons can receive a 
little, it proves they may receive more. If they can receive 



664 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM yOUNG 

the first and second principles with an upright feeling, they 
may receive still more, and the words of the prophet be ful- 
filled. 2 1-2. 

My testimony is positive I know that there are 
such cities as London, Pans, and New York— from my own 
experience or from that of others, I know that the sun 
shines, I know that I exist and have a being, and I testify 
that there is a God, and that Jesus Christ lives, and that he 
is the Savioi of the world. Have you been to heaven and 
learned to the contrary? I know that Joseph Smith was a 
Prophet of God, and that he had many revelations. Who 
can disprove this testimony? Any one may dispute it, but 
there is no one in the world who can disprove it I have 
had many revelations ; I have seen and heard for myself, and 
know these things are true, and nobody on earth can dis- 
prove them The eye, the ear, the hand, all the senses may 
be deceived, but the Spirit of God cannot be deceived ; and 
when inspired with that Spirit, the whole man is filled with 
knowledge, he can see with a spiritual eye, and he knows 
that which is beyond the power of man to controvert What 
I know concerning God, concerning the earth, concerning 
government, I have received from the heavens, not alone 
through my natural ability, and I give God the glory and 
the praise. Men talk about what has been ^accomplished 
tinder my direction, and attribute it to my wisdom and abil- 
ity ; but it is all by the power of God, and by intelligence 
received from him I say to the whole world, receive the 
truth, no matter who presents it to you 16 46 

Why Some Meri? Reject the Gospel — I have often heard 
men say they were convinced that "Mormonism" was true, 
and that they would cleave to it, but as for their hearts 
being converted, it is altogether another thing. 6 321 



THE TESTIMONY OF TH£ TJXUTH 665 

Wherevei the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been preached, 
either in these or former days, it has met with a class of 
men to whom the truth looked lovely and God-like, and the 
spirit within would prompt them to embrace it, but they 
fmd themselves so advantageously connected in the world, 
and have so many interests at stake if they should embrace 
it, they conclude that it will not do, and here comes the 
warfare again Some few will overcome the reasonings of 
the flesh, and follow the dictates of the spirit; while the 
great majority of this class of persons are won over by 
sordid considerations and cleave to their idols. 11*237. 

They would come now by thousands and thousands, if 
the Latter-day Saints were only popular. "What, these 
honorable men?" Yes, they would say, tf I want to be bap- 
tized. I admire your industry, and your skill in governing 
You have a system of governing that is not to be found 
anywhere else. You know how to govern cities, terri- 
tories, or the world, and I would like to join you " But 
take care, if you join this people without the love of God in 
your soul it will do you no good. If they were to do this, 
they would bring in their sophistry, and introduce that 
which would poison the innocent and honest and lead them 
astray. I look at this, and I am satisfied that it will not 
do for the Lord to make this people popular. Why? Be- 
cause all hell would want to be in the Church The people 
must be kept wheie the finger of scorn can be pointed at 
them Although it is admitted that we are honest, indus- 
trious, truthful, virtuous, self-denying, and, as a community, 
possess every moral excellence, yet we must be looked 
upon as ignorant and unworthy, and as the offscouring of 
society, and be hated by the world. What is the reason of 
this? Christ and Baal can not become friends. When I 



666 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

see this people grow - and spread and prosper, I feel that 
there is more danger than when they are in poverty. Being 
driven from city to city or into the mountains is nothing 
compared to the danger of our becoming rich and being 
hailed by outsiders as a first-class community. I am afraid 
of only one thing What is that? That we will not live 
our religion, and that we will partially slide a little from the 
path of rectitude, and go part of the way to meet our 
friends 12 272 

Testimony Not Built Upon a Man— Some men declare 
that they wish to have such confidence in their leaders a^ 
not to enquire whether this or that is right, but to perform 
what they are bid to do. No man will have that degree of 
confidence, unless it is founded in truth. 4 296. 

Joseph Smith a Witness of the Truth— The Devil and 
his emissaries thought if they could only destroy Joseph 
Smith, that the system he had laid the foundation to build 
upon would crumble and fall to rise no' more , but it is evi- 
dent to all, that since the death of Joseph, the system has 
flourished with greater vigor than before, for where there 
is a testament in full force, there must also of necessity be 
the death of the testator, for a testament is of force after 
men are dead. 10:304. 

Whosoever confesseth that Joseph Smith was sent of 
God to reveal the holy Gospel to the children of men, and 
lay the foundation for gathering Israel, and building up the 
Kingdom of God on the earth, that spirit is of God, and 
every spirit that does not confess that God has sent Joseph 
Smith, and revealed the everlasting Gospel to and through 
him, is of Antichrist, no matter whether it is found in a 
pulpit or on a throne. 8 :176. 

This whole people were cast out for believing that God 



THE TESTIMONY OF THE TRUTH 667 

spake to Joseph Smith and chose him to be his messenger— 
his Apostle — to this generation I testify to you that we 
were not cast out for teaching and practicing the Patriarchal 
doctrine, as our enemies now declare, for at that time it 
had not been published to the world, but it was for believ- 
ing, preaching and practicing the doctrines of the New 
Testament , for believing in the events to take place in the 
latter days, as foretold by the ancient Prophets, and, for 
believing the declarations of Joseph Smith, that Jesus was 
indeed the Christ and the Savior of all men, but especially 
of them that believe, and that he had set his hand the 
second time to gather his people, to establish his Kingdom, 
to build up Zion, redeem Jerusalem, empty the earth of 
wickedness and bring in everlasting righteousness. 9 366 
A Duty to Listen to the Truth— Do not say, "You are 
Mormons, and we do not want to hear anything about you." 
Wait until you have searched and researched and have ob- 
tained wisdom to understand what we preach, or to prove 
it to be untrue. If you cannot prove it untrue and are not 
disposed to receive it, let it alone If it is the work of God, 
it will stand. What do you say, outsiders? What do you 
say, Christian world and heathen world? If we have the 
truth to present to you, which will do you good here and 
hereafter, which will save you today and tomorrow and 
every day, until it saves you in the Kingdom of God and 
brings you to a perfect state of felicity and happiness in the 
presence of the Father, will you have it? 12.313-314 

In the Christian world, thousands and millions of them 
are as close to the truth as any man that ever lived upof- 
the face of the earth, so far as moral, Christian deportmer s 
is concerned. I can find a great many of this communit 
who live as moral lives as men and women can. Is the e * 



668 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

anything else necessary and important? Yes — so to live 
as to have the light of the Spirit of truth abiding within you 
day by day, that when you hear the truth, you know it as 
well as you know the faces of your father's family, and 
also understand every manifestation produced by erroneous 
principles. 6:331. 



CHAPTER XXXIX 
THE CHURCH AND KINGDOM OF GOD ON EARTH 

Israel — Who are Israel ? They are those who are of the 
seed of Abraham, who have received the promise through 
their forefathers; and all the rest of the children of men, 
who receive the truth, are also Israel. My heart is al- 
ways drawn out for them, whenever I go to the throne of 
grace. 1 :107. 

Israel is dispersed among all the nations of the earth; 
the blood of Ephraim is mixed with the blood of all the 
earth. Abraham's seed is mingled with the rebellious seed 
through the whole world of mankind. 16 :75. 

The Elders who have arisen in this Church and King- 
dom are actually of Israel. 2 :268 

Those islanders and the natives of this country are of 
the House of Israel — of the seed of Abraham, and to them 
pertain the promise; and every soul of them, sooner or 
later, will be saved in the Kingdom of God, or be destroyed 
root and branch. 6*199. 

Again, if a pure Gentile firmly believes the Gospel of 
Jesus Christ, and yields obedience to it, in such a case I 
will give you the words of the Prophet Joseph : "The effect 
of the Holy Ghost upon a Gentile, is to purge out the old 
blood, and make him actually of the seed of Abraham." 
2.269. 

"We are to build up and establish Zion, gather the House 
of Israel, and redeem the nations of the earth. This people 
have this work to do, whether we live to see it or not. This 
is all in our hands. 8 :68. 

It is obligatory upon us to see that the House of Israel 



670 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

have the Gospel preached to them , to do all that is m our 
power to gather them to the land of their fathers, and to 
gather up the fulness of the Gentiles before the Gospel can 
go with success to the Jews 12 113 

We are now gathering the children of Abraham who 
have come through the loms of Joseph and his sons, more 
especially through Ephraim, whose children are mixed 
among all the nations of the earth The sons of Ephraim 
are wild and uncultivated, unruly, ungovernable The 
spirit in them is turbulent and resolute , they are the Anglo- 
Saxon race, and they are upon the face of the whole earth, 
bearing the spirit of rule and dictation, to go forth from 
conquering to conquer They search wide creation and scan 
every nook and corner of this earth to find out what is upon 
and within it. I see a congregation of them before me to- 
day No hardship will discourage these men, they will 
penetrate the deepest wilds and overcome almost insur- 
mountable difficulties to develop the treasures of the earth, 
to further their indomitable spirit for adventure 10 188 

The Church and the Kingdom— Out of this Church will 
grow the Kingdom which Daniel saw. This is the very peo- 
ple that Daniel saw would continue to grow and spread and 
prosper, and if we are not faithful, others will take our 
places, for this is the Church and people that will possess 
the Kingdom forever and ever S 143 

We shall preach on, we shall struggle on until the king- 
doms of this world shall become the Kingdom of our God 
and his Christ 11 240 

This is the Kingdom of God on the earth The people 
that sit before me, in connection with the many thousands 
that are upon the earth, are the people of God If we have 
become so taught that the Lord sees that we shall be capa- 



THE CHURCH AND KINGDOM OF GOD ON EARTH 671 

ble of managing, governing, and controlling the Kingdom 
of God upon the earth in a more perfect manner than it has 
been heretofore, you may rest assured that this people are 
bound to victory. Just as fast as we are capable of rightly 
dispensing the principles of power, of light, of knowledge, 
of intelligence, of wealth, of heaven, and of earth, just so 
fast will they be bestowed upon this people. 5 :327. 

If this Gospel goes to the uttermost parts of the earth 
and fulfils its destiny as predicted by the Prophets, by Jesus 
and by the Apostles, it will eventually swallow up all the 
good there is on the earth ; it will take every honest, truth- 
ful and virtuous man and woman and every good person 
and gather them into the fold of this Kingdom, and this 
society will enlarge, spread abroad and multiply, and will in- 
crease in knowledge until the members composing it know 
enough to lengthen out their days and man's longevity re- 
turns, and they begin to live as men did anciently. 11-303. 

What will be the final result of the restoration of the 
Gospel, and the destiny of the Latter-day Saints? If they 
are faithful to the Priesthood which God has bestowed upon 
us, the Gospel will revolutionize the whole world of man- 
kind; the earth will be sanctified, and God will glorify it, 
and the Saints will dwell upon it in the presence of the 
Father and the Son. 12:113. 

An Object of the Church— We are exhorted to make our 
own heaven, our own paradise, our own Zion. 9:170. 

We have an object in view, and that is to gain influ- 
ence among all the inhabitants of the earth for the purpose 
of establishing the Kingdom of God in its righteousness, 
power and glory, and to exalt the name of the Deity, and 
cause that name by which we live to be revered everywhere 
that he may be honored, that his works may be honored, 



6?2 DISCOURSES OF BSIGHAM YOUNG 

that we may be honored ourselves, and deport ourselves 
worthy of the character of his children 11 274 

If the Latter-day Saints think, when the Kingdom of 
God is established on the earth, that all the inhabitants of 
the earth will join the Church called Latter-day Saints, they 
are mistaken I presume there will be as many sects and 
parties then as now. Still, when the Kingdom of God 
triumphs, every knee shall bow and every tongue confess 
that Jesus is the Christ, to the glory of the Father Even 
the Jews will do it then, but will the Jews and Gentiles be 
obliged to belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- 
day Saints ? No, not by any means Jesus said to his dis- 
ciples, "In my Father's house are many mansions ; were it 
not so I would have told you , I go to prepare a place for 
you, that where I am, there ye may be also," etc. There 
are mansions in sufficient numbeis to suit the different 
classes of mankind, and a variety will always exist to all 
eternity, requiring a classification and an arrangement into 
societies and communities in the many mansions which aie 
m the Lord's house, and this will be so for ever and ever. 
Then do not imagine that if the Kingdom of God is estab- 
lished over the whole earth, all the people will become 
Latter-day Saints They will cease their persecutions 
against the Church of Jesus Chiist, and they will be willing 
to acknowledge that the Lord is God, and that Jesus is the 
Savior of the world. 11 275 

The Kingdom of God to Develop Gradually—The King- 
dom we are talking about, preaching about and trying to 
build up is the Kingdom of God on the earth, not in the 
starry heavens, noi in the sun We are trying to establish 
the Kingdom of God on the earth to which really and prop- 
erly everything that pertains to men— their feelings, their 



THE CHURCH AND KINGDOM OF GOD ON EARTH 67 & 

faith, their affections, their desires, and every act of their' 
lives — belong, that they may be ruled by it spiritually and 
temporally, 10.328. 

In that helpless infant upon its mother's breast we see 
a man, an Apostle, a Saint, — yea generations of men with 
kingdoms, thrones, and dominions. Then the life of that 
little frail mortal is fraught with great and mighty results, 
and its value is inestimable. 

If this be true of an infant, what may we expect to grow 
out of this infant Kingdom? We may look forward to all 
that belongs to greatness and goodness, to might and power, 
to dominion and glory. Then how jealously we ought to 
guard the rights of this infant power? How zealous and 
constant we should be in maintaining its interests and sup- 
porting its laws and sacred institutions! 9:170-171. 

We are called to establish the Kingdom of God literally, 
just as much as we are spiritually. If we do not build it 
up in a temporal point of view, we will not accomplish what 
we are called to do ; we will come short of our duty, and be 
removed out of the way, and others will be called to suc- 
ceed us who will perform the labor we are called to do. 
10:332. 

I do not believe that the City of Enoch made greater ad- 
vancement, in the same period of time, than this people have 
done in the twenty-six years of their career, which is saying 
a great deal for them. 3 :374 

The Effect of the Kingdom of God—What is the King- 
dom of God going to accomplish on the earth? It will 
revolutionize not only the United States, but the whole 
world, and will go forth from the morning to the evening, 
from the rising of the sun to the going down of the same, 
so shall be the ushering forth of the Gospel until the whole 



674 DISCOURSES OF BRIG HAM YOUNG 

earth is deluged with it, and the righteous are gathered 
2 190. 

No unrighteous person, no person who is filthy in their 
feelings will ever enter into the Kingdom of God 3 275 

As this Kingdom of God grows, spreads, increases, and 
prospers in its course, it will cleanse, thoroughly purge, and 
purify the world from wickedness He who supposes his 
house to be built upon a rock, and well calculated to with- 
stand any test that may be applied to it, finds, when it is 
tried by the Gospel of the Kingdom, that its foundation 
proves to be sand, and the whole fabric appears nothing 
in which a man may securely trust for salvation. 1 190 

When the Kingdom of God is fully set up and established 
on the face of the earth, and takes the preeminence over all 
other nations and kingdoms, it will piotect the people in the 
enjoyment of all their rights, no matter what they believe, 
what they profess, or what they worship If they wish to 
worship a god of their own workmanship, instead of the 
true and living God, all right, if they will mind their own 
business and let other people alone 2 310 

If we wish this Church and Kingdom of God upon earth, 
to be like a fine, healthy, growing tree, we should be care- 
ful not to let the dead branches remain too long. 3*274. 

Government of the Kingdom of God— Every kingdom 
will be blotted out of existence, except the one whose ruling 
spirit is the Holy Ghost, and whose king is the Lord. 2 124 

It may be asked what I mean by the Kingdom of God 
The Church of Jesus Christ has been established now for 
many years, and the Kingdom of God has got to be estab- 
lished, even that Kingdom which will circumscribe all the 
kingdoms of this world It will yet give laws to ^very na- 
tion that exists upon the earth. This is the Kingdom that 



THE CHURCH AND KINGDOM OF GOD ON EARTH 675 

Daniel, the Prophet, saw should be set up in the last days 
What Daniel saw should come to pass in the latter times is 
believed by nearly all the religious societies of Christen- 
dom. The only great difference between us and them is in 
the method of its establishment 11.275. 

When this Kingdom is organized in any age, the Spirit 
of it dwells in the hearts of the faithful, while its visible de- 
partment exists among the people, with laws, ordinances, 
helps, governments, officers, administrators, and every other 
appendage necessary for itb complete operation to the at- 
tainment of the end m view 10*18 

The Lord designs to build up a Kingdom that will be 
both a spiritual and temporal Kingdom upon the earth The 
earth and the kingdoms thereof will be given unto the 
Saints of the Most High God Will they be rich then* Do 
you not think they will possess the gold mines and the 
treasures of the earth ? Yes But some cry out, "That is 
not yet,' 7 That is right How long will it be until then? 
As soon as we are prepared to receive them 10 332 

If we ever attain faith enough to obtain the King- 
dom of God, as we anticipate, we shall obtain all the wealth 
there is for this Kingdom in time and eternity We shall 
not rob other kingdoms, but we shall possess the eternity 
of matter that lies in the path of the onward progress of 
this Kingdom, and still eternity and its fulness will continue 
to stretch out before us. The great powers of eternal wis- 
dom will be exercised to enhance the wealth, beauty, ex- 
cellency and glory of this Kingdom, previous to its being 
introduced into the presence of the Father and the Son. 
This work we have to help perform 10 301 

I have learned years ago that the Lord stands at the 
helm that guides Zion's ship He is its Dictator; and un- 



676 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

less we work exactly to the line that is marked out by him, 
our works will be in vain. This has been my experience 
from the beginning. In every branch and aventie of our 
lives we must learn to work to the line of truth. It is foi 
us to know what ought to be done, and then do it Though 
there should be no earthly prospect of accomplishing it, we 
can certainly try, and if we try with all our might, that act 
will prove at least a resolute and determined mind, adorned 
with patience and perseverance And if, with all our reso- 
lute endeavors we are still unable to accomplish our pur- 
pose, the Lord will be very likely to stretch forth his hand 
and give the victory 6 315 

If this people live to the principles they have embraced, 
they will be capable of counselling the nations ; for we build 
upon a just foundation, and our piinciples are truth, right- 
eousness, and holiness. Let us stand by those principles 
until they crush out folly from these valleys, and we become 
teachers of wisdom to the nations, 7 66. 

It Will Continue— All is right. God can carry on his 
own work. This Kingdom will stand forever 8 69 

The Lord will never suffer this people to dwindle down, 
and be hid up in a corner, it cannot be , neither does he want 
any person to help them but himself 1 .364. 

God has commenced to set up his Kingdom on the earth, 
and all hell and its devils are moving against it. Hell is 
yawning and sending forth its devils and their imps. What 
for? To destroy the Kingdom of God from the earth But 
they cannot do it 5 75 

The soldiers of the Lord are in the mountains, in the 
canyons, upon the plains, on the hills, along the mighty 
streams, and by the rivulets Thousands and thousands 



THE CHURCH AND KINGDOM OF GOD ON EARTH 677 

more are for us than those who are against us, and you need 
not have any fears. 5:57 

My heart is comforted I behold the people of God, that 
they have been hunted, cast out, driven from the face of 
men. The powers of earth and hell have striven to destroy 
this Kingdom from the earth The wicked have succeeded 
in doing so in former ages , but this Kingdom they cannot 
destroy, because it is the last dispensation — because it is 
the fulness of times It is the dispensation of all dispensa- 
tions, and will excel in magnificence and glory every dis- 
pensation that has ever been committed to the children oi 
men upon the earth. The Lord will bring again Zion, re- 
deem his Israel, plant his standard upon the earth, and 
establish the laws of his Kingdom, and those laws will pre- 
vail 8 36. 

If there are any hearts or spirits in this city, or else- 
where that are fearfully wondering whether or not we are 
going to be destroyed, or whether this Church will endure 
and become the mighty power m the earth, according to the 
predictions of the servants of God, I will say to all such 
trembling souls, you need entertain no such fears You 
need have only one fear, and that is with regard to your- 
selves, lest you should leave the light that the Lord has im- 
parted to you and wander into darkness, returning to the 
beggarly elements of the world, lusting again after the 
things of the world in their sinful state. 19 :3. 

We cannot help being Saints; we cannot prevent the 
rolling forth of the work of God; in and of ourselves we 
have no power to control our own minds and passions , but 
the grace of God is sufficient to give us perfect victory. The 
power of the Lord our God helps us, and the Devil and his 
emissaries help us — the one on the one hand, the other on 



67S DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

the other hand. We have power to receive the truth or re- 
ject it, and we have power to reject the evil or receive it 
S 226. 

When the wicked have power to blow out the sun, that 
it shines no more, when they have power to bring to a con- 
clusion the operations of the elements, suspend the whole 
system of nature, and make a footstool of the throne of the 
Almighty, they may then think to check "Mormomsm" in 
its course, and thwart the unalterable purposes of heaven 
Men may persecute the people who believe its doctrines, re- 
port and publish lies to bring tribulation upon their heads, 
earth and hell may unite m one grand league against it, and 
exert their malicious powers to the utmost, but it will stand 
as firm and immovable in the midst of it all as the pillars 
of eternity. Men may persecute the Prophet, and those who 
believe and uphold him, they may drive the Saints and kill 
them, but this does not affect the truths of "Mormonism" 
one iota, for they will stand when the elements melt with 
fervent heat, the heavens are wrapt up like a scioll, and 
the solid earth is dissolved "Mormonism" stands upon the 
eternal basis of omnipotence. Jehovah is the "Mormonism" 
of this people, their Priesthood and their power; and all who 
adhere to it will, in the appointed day, come up into the 
presence of the King Eternal, and receive a crown of life 
1:88 

The Business of Latter-day Saints— Our work is to bring 
forth Zion, and produce the Kingdom of God in its perfec- 
tion and beauty upon the earth 9 293 

We have no business here other than to build up and 
establish the Zion of God. It must be done according to the 
will and law of God, after that pattern and order by which 
Enoch built up and perfected the former-day Zion, which 



THE CHURCH AND KINGDOM OF GOD ON EARTH 679 

was taken away to heaven, hence the saying went abroad 
that Zion had fled By and by it will come back again, and 
as Enoch prepared his people to be worthy of translation, 
so we, through our faithfulness, must prepare ourselves to 
meet Zion from above when it shall return to earth, and to 
abide tfce brightness and glory of its coming 18 356 

I have Zion in my view constantly. We are not going 
to wait for angels, or for Enoch and his company to come 
and build up Zion, but we are going to build it We will 
raise our wheat, build our houses, fence our farms, plant 
our vineyards and orchards, and produce everything that 
will make our bodies comfortable and happy, and m this 
manner we intend to build up Zion on the earth and purify 
it and cleanse it from all pollutions Let there be an hal- 
lowed influence go 'from us over all things over which we 
have any power , over the soil we cultivate, over the houses 
we build, and over everything we possess , and if we cease 
to hold fellowship with that which is corrupt and estab- 
lish the Zion of God in our hearts, in our own houses, in 
our cities, and throughout our country, we shall ultimately 
overcome the earth, for we are the lords of the earth , and, 
instead of thorns and thistles, every useful plant that is good 
for the food of man and to beautify and adorn will spring 
from its bosom 9 ,284. 

Individual Labor Required in the Kingdom of God— 
We have all kinds of fish in the Gospel net. 3 120. 

The Lord will have a tried people. 16 :28. 

To be a Saint in the full sense of the word, is to be some- 
thing very nearly perfect. If, however, we are striving to 
the utmost of the ability God has given us to prove that 
we are willing to serve him and perform our duties, we are 
justified. We have the Kingdom of God to build up, Zion 



680 DISCO URSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

to redeem ; we have to sanctify ourselves so that we may 
be prepared to be caught up with the Church of the First- 
born, and if we improve every day and hour, then if we 
die we shall be found justified But if we continue to live, 
we must become Saints in very deed, or come short of the 
fulness of the glory of God that is to be revealed 46 .41. 

Many Latter-day Saints think when they have obeyed the 
Gospel, made a sacrifice in forsaking their homes, perhaps 
their parents, husbands, wives, children, farms, native 
lands, or other things held dear, that the work is done, but 
it is only just commenced. The work of purifying our- 
selves and preparing to build up the Zion of God on this 
continent has only just begun with us when we have got 
as far as that. 13.313 

A great many think that the Kingdom of God is going to 
bless them and exalt them, without any efforts on their part. 
This is not so Every man and woman is expected to aid 
the work with all the ability God has given them. Each 
person belonging to the human family has a portion of labor 
to perform in removing the curse from the earth and from 
every living thing upon it When this work is performed, 
then will they possess all things 10 301. 

We have no correct individual interest separate from 
this Kingdom; if we have true interest at all, it is in the 
Kingdom of God 3 '154 

The Kingdom of God or Nothing— When the Kingdom 
of God is established, if each member of that Kingdom 
singly and individually will do his or her duty it will take 
care of itself, for it is a living, self-moving, self-sustaining, 
independent and heaven-ordained establishment. 11 :249 

The Kingdom of God is all that is real worth All else 
is not worth possessing, either here or hereafter. Without 



THE CHURCH AND KINGDOM OF GOD ON EARTH 681 

it, all else would be like a dry tree prepared for the burn- 
ing—it is all consumed and the ashes are driven to the four 
winds 8:185. 

To me it is the Kingdom of God or nothing upon the 
earth Without it I would not give a farthing for the 
wealth, glory, prestige and power of all the world com- 
bined , for like the dew upon the grass, it passeth away and 
is forgotten, and like the flower of the grass it withereth, 
and is not. Death levels the most powerful monarch with 
the poorest starving mendicant, and both must stand be- 
fore the judgment seat of Christ to answer for the deeds 
done in the body 11 .126 

With us, it is the Kingdom of God, or nothing ; and we 
will maintain it, or die in trying—though we shall not die 
in trying. It is comfoiting to many to be assured that we 
shall not die in trying; but we shall live in trying. We will 
maintain the Kingdom of God, living; and if we do not 
maintain it, we shall be found dying not only a temporal, 
but also an eternal death Then take a course to live 
5-342. 

If you give anything for the building up of the Kingdom 
of God, give the best you have What is the best thing you 
have to devote to the Kingdom of God? It is the talents 
God has given you. How many? Every one of them. What 
beautiful talents ! What a beautiful gift! It is more prec- 
ious than fine gold that I can stand here and give you my 
ideas, and you can rise up and tell me what you think and 
feel, and thus exchange our ideas It is one of the precious 
gifts bestowed upon human beings Let us devote every 
qualification we are in possession of to the building up of 
God's Kingdom, and you will accomplish the whole of it 
8:346, 



CHAPTER XL 
SOME EFFECTS OF THE GOSPEL 

The Nature of the Gospel— We have Zion in our view 
in her perfection. 4 '270. 

iUl knowledge and wisdom and every good that the 
heart of man can desire is within the circuit and circle of 
the faith we have embraced. 13:150. 

The design of the Gospel is to reveal the secrets of the 
hearts of the children of men. 3 .47-48. 

Is there war in our religion ? No ; neither war nor blood- 
shed. Yet our enemies cry out "bloodshed," and "Oh, what 
dreadful men these Mormons are, and those Danites ! how 
they slay and kill!" Such is all nonsense and folly in the 
extreme. The wicked slay the wicked, and they will lay it 
on the Saints. 12 -30. 

We offer life and salvation to the whole human family 
in the Gospel of the Son of God, and if they are not dis- 
posed to receive it they will suffer the consequence It is 
for the Latter-day Saints to live their religion. 12:315. 

Do you know that here is the standard, the nucleus, the 
fountain, the head for all the exercises of the Kingdom of 
God upon the face of the whole earth? Now, let the Saints 
in this congregation droop in their faith, and that spirit will 
spread before tomorrow morning throughout the vast do- 
main of this creation. Every Elder that goes abroad is a 
witness of this fact. This spirit spreads through a tele- 
graphic influence or force that is independent of wires 
Let this people at the gathering-place wake out of their 
slumbers, gird on their armour, and go forth like men of 



SOME EFFECTS OF THE GOSPEL 683 

war against wickedness, and every Branch throughout the 
Church feels the influence in a very short time — it is speed- 
ily imparted to all creation The wires, as it were, are set, 
the lightnings flash over them, and all feel the influence, 
when we are doing our duty here It all depends upon us 
here 8 184. 

The Gospel of life and salvation is the best institution 
that we, as mortal beings, can invest in Go into the finan- 
cial circles of the world, and you will find men gather and 
project their plans for business, for railroads, for ship com- 
panies, for merchandizing, and various other pursuits You 
will see those engaged in these companies associate to- 
gether, confer with each other, lay their plans before each 
other, investigate them, scan every branch, and every part 
and particle of their business We are engaged in a higher- 
toned branch of business than any merchants or railroad 
men, or any institution of an earthly nature, and it is pleas- 
ing to see the Latter-day Saints meet together to talk over 
this matter, and to learn the course they should pursue to 
gain the object of their pursuit If an inquiry arises in any 
of your minds with regard to this, I will answer it by say- 
ing that we are in pursuit of all there is before us — life, 
light, wealth, intelligence, all that can be possessed on the 
earth by mortal man, and then in a higher state, where 
there will be a more perfect development of the smattering 
knowledge than we received here, and all that can be en- 
joyed by intelligent beings in the celestial kingdoms of our 
God 15 34 

The Latter-day Saints are a very peculiar people, and 
they are led in a peculiar way We are brought into cir- 
cumstances so as to be a stumbling block to the nations, 
through the failings and weaknesses of the Latter-day 



684 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

Saints. Jesus was a stumbling block to the nation of the 
Jews, and to the generation m which he lived, and to all that 
knew him, and how singular it is that Jesus Christ, at this 
late day, and at such a distance from the theater of his oper- 
tions, should have attained such celebrity and fame, even 
his disciples are not only canonized, but almost deified, and 
looked upon as though they were Gods come down to dwell 
with men Every circumstance connected with the Savior's 
life is looked upon as being divine. Christendom now 
acknowledge that Jesus was the Son of God ; they look upon 
him as God manifested in the flesh according to the New 
Testament ; yet the generation in which he lived did not see 
these tokens of divinity which this generation recognize. 
To them he was a "root out of dry ground" — "a stumbling 
block," "a rock of offense " So with the Latter-day Saints 
They are a stumbling block to this generation. The world 
see all their weaknesses and faults, and see no divinity in 
the work in which they are engaged. Yet this is not to be 
wondered at, inasmuch as the world could not see it in Jesus 
when he dwelt in mortality We are looked upon as a low, 
degraded, ignorant set of fanatics. This is the opinion of 
the great majority of the learned and refined world Others 
say that our people are the dupes of a few We do not 
claim to be very wise, but we do know that that portion of 
mankind called Christians in our day, who profess to be 
followers of the meek and lowly Jesus, are grossly ignorant 
of his character, and of the means and way of salvation 
which he offers to the world. \The Latter-day Saints, as a 
people, may not be so far advanced in the knowledge of 
many of the sciences, as their neighbors, but they are 
learning how to take care of themselves, which is one of 
the greatest arts known to man. When the most learned 



SOME EFFECTS OF THE GOSPEL 685 

and scientific among men scrutinize their own lives and ex- 
perience, they are under the necessity of acknowledging 
that they are faulty, weak, ignorant, they are "strangers 
from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and with- 
out God in the world." 12 206-207. 

There are professing Christians in our midst, who are 
so strict in their religious notions^ that they would rise in 
the morning at five o'clock and walk miles, if necessary, 
rather than miss their religious services, and they are those 
who are so zealous that they would measure the soil from 
here into old Jerusalem with their bodies if they could, to 
pay penance, as they call it. God does not require any such 
sacrifices as this , neither does he require any of these sacri- 
fices which involve the shedding of blood 01 the loss of life 
Such things do not belong to God's religion, they come 
through sin and transgression. Perhaps they who show 
such manifestations of their faith strengthen it and do 
themselves some good. All that is required of us is to sacri- 
fice our feelings and to overcome the- adversary by sub- 
duing the lust within us for anything but the Kingdom of 
God on the earth, the glory of God, and the salvation of our 
friends and families and of the human family from first to 
last; that our whole souls may be devoted to the building 
up of the Kingdom of God on the earth, and for the salva- 
tion of those who sleep, who died without the Gospel. 
18-238. 

Our religion is called "Mormonism" because the ancient 
records revealed to Joseph Smith were entitled, the Book of 
Mormon, according to the instructions given to him by the 
Lord ; but I will call it the Plan of Salvation devised in the 
heavens for the redemption of mankind from sin, and their 
restoration to the presence of God. 



686 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

It embraces every fact there is in the heavens and in the 
heaven of heavens—every fact there is upon the surface of 
the earth, in the bowels of the earth, and in the starry 
heavens; in fine, it embraces all truth there is in all the 
eternities of the Gods 9 149. 

Some of the Effects of the Gospel— The religion that we 
have embraced teaches us to prepare to live 5 257 

But <l Mormonism" has opened up light Removing the 
curtain from the broad sunshine, it has lighted up the souls 
of hundreds of thousands, and they have been made to re- 
joice in the light of truth 8 129 

With all the rest of the good that you can commit to 
memory, be sure to recollect that the Gospel of salvation is 
expressly designed to make Saints of sinners, to overcome 
evil with good, to make holy, good men of wicked, bad men, 
and to make better men of good Wherem we are wicked, 
wherein we have evil passions, the Gospel will aid us in 
overcoming evil It gives us the influence, the power, the 
knowledge, the wisdom, and the understanding to overcome 
our weaknesses and to purify ourselves before the Lord 
our God. 8 160. 

When people receive the Gospel, their minds are opened , 
they see Zion in its glory; but they do not see the troubles 
on the plains, or the troubles with false brethren 8 71 

What are the fruits of this Gospel when it is received into 
the hearts of an individual? It will make a bad man good, 
and a good man better, it increases their light, knowledge, 
and intelligence, and enables them to grow m grace and in 
the knowledge of the truth, as the Savior did, until they 
understand men and things, the world and its doctrines, 
whether Christian, heathen or pagan, and will ultimately 



SOME EFFECTS OF THE GOSPEL 687 

lead them to knowledge of things in heaven, on the earth 
or under the earth 13 144. 

Our religion teaches us truth, virtue, holiness, faith in 
God and in his Son Jesus Christ. It reveals mysteries, it 
brings to mind things past and present — unfolding clearl) 
things to come It is the foundation of mechanism ; it is the 
spirit that gives intelligence to every living being upon the 
earth. All true philosophy originates from that Fountain 
from which we draw wisdom, knowledge, truth, and power 
What does it teach us ? To love God and our fellow crea- 
tures — to be compassionate, full of mercy, long-suffering, 
and patient to the froward and to those who are ignorant 
There is a glory in our religion that no other religion that 
has evei been established upon the earth, in the absence of 
the true Priesthood, ever possessed. It is the fountain of 
all intelligence; it is to bring heaven to earth and exalt 
earth to heaven, to prepare all intelligence that God has 
placed in the hearts of the children of men— to mingle with 
the intelligence which dwells in eternity, and to elevate the 
mind above the trifling and frivolous objects of time, which 
tend downward to destruction. It frees the mind of man 
from darkness and ignorance, gives him that intelligence 
that flows from heaven, and qualifies him to comprehend 
all things. This is the character of the religion we believe 
in. 7 140-141 

Our belief will bring peace to all men and good will to 
all the inhabitants of the earth. It will induce all who sin- 
cerely follow its dictates to cultivate righteousness and 
peace ; to live peaceably in their families ; to praise the Lord 
morning and evening; to pray with their families, and will 
so fill them with the spirit of peace that they will never 
condemn or chasten any one unless it is well deserved. 



688 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

They will rise in the morning with their spirits as smooth 
and serene as the sun that is rising and giving life and heat 
to the world , just as calm and as smooth as the breezes on 
a summer evening. No anger, no wrath, no malice, conten- 
tion or strife. If a wrong arises, the party wronged will go 
to his neighbor and quietly investigate whether wrong was 
designed , and if the seeming transgressor is living accord- 
ing to the spirit of his religion, it will be found that he had 
designed no wrong, and that he will make ample amends, 
forgiveness will be accorded, and the trouble will end This 
is the spirit and teaching of the Gospel. 

How will perfection be obtained ? By all persons in the 
Kingdom of God living so as to be revelators from the 
heavens for themselves and for all they pieside over, that 
everything they have to perform in this life — every worldly 
care and duty, and all their walk and conversation before 
each other and before the Lord, may be marked out by the 
spirit of revelation. Is this the way to perfection? It is. 
This is the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ; this is the 
Gospel of life and salvation. 13 215. 

We ought to understand that when our lives have been 
filled with all manner of wickedness, to turn and repent of 
our sms, to be baptized for the remission of them, and have 
our names written upon the Church records, does not pre- 
pare us for the presence of dur Father and Elder Brother. 
What will? A continuation of faithfulness to the doctrines 
of Christ, nothing short of this will do it 3 :193-194 

It is very fortunate for those who receive this Gospel 
and the spirit of it in their hearts, for it awakes within 
them a desire to know and understand the things of God 
more than they ever did before in their lives, and they begin 
to inquire, read and search, and when they go to the 



SOME EFFECTS OF THE GOSPEL 689 

Father in the name of Jesus he will not leave them with- 
out a witness. 14.135. 

"When people receive this Gospel, what do they sacrifice? 
Why, death for life. This is what they give • darkness for 
light, error for truth, doubt and unbelief for knowledge and 
the certainty of the things of God. 16:161. 

The Saints in all ages have been protected, sustained 
and upheld by an Almighty Power in their sufferings, and 
the power of the religion of Jesus Christ has ever sustained 
them. The Jews anciently said, Let his blood be upon us 
and upon our children,- and God took them at their word. 
10:287. 

You may as well undertake to terrify the Almighty on 
his throne, as to terrify a Latter-day Saint of the true 
stripe — one who has the true blood in him. 2:313. 

The sound of the Gospel of life and salvation, to gather 
the House of Israel and redeem the children of men, is a 
terror to all nations. 8:13. 

No blessing that is sealed upon us will do us any good, 
unless we live for it. 11 :117. 

Personal Joy in the Gospel—With me "Mormonism" 
is, "Out with the truth," 3 :255. 

The great object of my life is to establish the Kingdom 
of God upon the earth. 11 :275. 

It may be asked whether I have any idols? Yes, I have 
most darling idols — my God and my religion, and they are 
all the idols I wish to have. 9:106. 

I feel happy. "Mormonism" has made me all I am, and 
the grace, the power, and the wisdom of God will make me 
all that I ever will be, either in time or eternity, 8 :162. 

You hear many talk about having made sacrifices; if I 
had that word in my vocabulary I would blot it out. I have 



690 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

never yet made what I call sacrifices ; in my experience I 
know nothing about making them. 3 '223. 

Again, I say, if "Mormonism" is not all I anticipated it 
to be, it is nothing If it is not in me, and I in it, if it is 
not all and in all to me, I am deceived in myself. It is 
everything in heaven and on earth to those who possess it 
truly. 2.128. 

Our religion has been a continual feast to me. With me it 
is Glory! Hallelujah! Praise God! instead of sorrow and 
grief Give me the knowledge, power, and blessings that I 
have the capacity of receiving, and I do not care how the 
Devil originated, nor anything about him; I want the wis- 
dom, knowledge, and power of God. Give me the religion 
that lifts me higher in the scale of intelligence— -that gives 
me the power to endure— that when I attain the state of 
peace and rest prepared for the righteous, I may enjoy to 
all eternity the society of the sanctified 8.119. 

The last time I spoke to you here I told you that I found 
my religion just as sweet to me in my private capacity, in 
my secret meditations upon my bed, and in my closet, in 
my office, or with my family, as it is when I am in this 
stand I love it as well— esteem it as highly, it is as prec- 
ious to my understanding, and it invigorates, buoys up, 
strengthens, and fills every power of my capacity with un- 
speakable joy, just as much at home as it does here. I hope 
this is the case with you all If you live your religion, it 
is as dear to you when you are out of this Tabernacle as 
when you are here. 8 8. 

I am happy; I am full of joy, comfort, and peace; all 
within me is light, for I desire nothing but to do the will of 
my Father in heaven. I delight not in unrighteousness, but 
in righteousness and truth I seek to promote the good and 



SOME EFFECTS OF THE ,G0SPEL 691 

happiness of myself and those with whom I am associated. 
6 40 

My business is to save the people, not to oppress, 
plunder, and destioy them. It is also the duty of all 1he 
Elders to labor to save the people 7*229. 

I am so thankful that tongue cannot express what I feel, 
that I have the privilege of associating with the Saints, and 
of being a member in the Kingdom of God, and that I have 
friends in the Church of the Living God. 10 314. 

I can say that I do not consider that I have ever suffered 
anything for this Kingdom— nothing in the least. I have 
never sacnficcd anything, without it be the evil propensities 
that are sown in our nature, springing from the seed that 
was sown at the fall 8 67. 

The Lord has blessed me; he has always blessed me; 
from the time I commenced to build up Zion, I have been 
extremely blessed. I could relate circumstances of so ex- 
traordinary a character in regard to the providences of God 
to me, that my brethren and sisters would say in their 
hearts, "I can hardly give credence to this " But my heart 
has been set in me to do the will of God, to build up his 
Kingdom on the earth, to establish Zion and its laws, and to 
save the people , and I can say, truly and honestly, that the 
thought never came into my mind, in all my labors, what 
my reward will be, or whether my crown would be large or 
small, or any crown at all, a small possession, a large pos- 
session, or no possession I have never had any thoughts or 
reflections upon this, or cared the first thing about it All 
that I have had in my mind has been that it was my duty to 
do the will of God, and to labor to establish his Kingdom on 
the earth I do not love, serve or fear the Lord for the 
sake of getting rid of being damned, nor for the sake of 



692 DISCOURSES OF BEIGHAM YOUNG 

getting some great gift or blessmg in eternity, but purely 
because the principles which God has revealed for the salva- 
tion of the inhabitants of the earth are pure, holy and exalt- 
ing in their nature In them there is honor and eternal 
increase, they lead on from light to light, strength to 
strength, glory to glory, knowledge to knowledge, and 
power to power. 16 70 

"Mormonism" has done everything for me that ever has 
been done for me on the earth; it has made me happy; it 
has made me wealthy and comfortable , it has filled me with 
good feelings, with joy and rejoicing. Whereas, before I 
possessed the spirit of the Gospel I was troubled with that 
which I hear others complain of, that is, with, at times, 
feeling cast down, gloomy, and despondent , with everything 
wearing to me, at times, a dreary aspect 

But have the trees, the streams, the rocks, or any part 
of creation worn a gloomy aspect to me for one half minute 
since I came in possession of the spirit of this Gospel? No, 
though before that time I might view the most beautiful 
gardens, buildings, cities, plantations, or anything else in 
nature, yet to me they all wore at times a shade of death. 

They appeared at times as though a vail was brooding 
over them, which cast a dark shade upon all things, like the 
shade of the valley of death, and I felt lonesome and bad 
But since I have embraced the Gospel not for one half min- 
ute, to the best of my recollection, has anything worn to 
me a gloomy aspect ; under all circumstances I have felt 
pleasant and cheerful 

When surrounded by mobs, with death and destruction 
threatening on every hand, I am not aware but that I-felt 
just as joyful, just as well in my spirit, as I do now. Pros- 
pects might appear dull and very dark, but I have never 



SOME EFFECTS OF THE GOSPEL 693 

seen a time in this Gospel but what I knew that the result 
would be beneficial to the cause of truth and the lovers of 
righteousness, and I have always felt to joyfully acknowl- 
edge the hand of the Lord in all things 3 *320 

I present myself before this congregation as a teacher 
of the way of life and salvation. 10 318 

Permit me to say, that I am proud of my religion. It is 
the only thing I pride myself in, on the earth I may heap 
up gold and silver like the mountains , I may gather around 
me property, goods and chattels, but I could have no glory 
in that, compared with my religion; it is the fountain of 
light and intelligence; it swallows up the truth contained 
m all the philosophy of the world, both heathen and Chris- 
tian ; it circumscribes the wisdom of man ; all the wisdom 
and power of the world ; it reaches to that within the veil 
Its bounds, its circumference, its end, its height, and depth, 
are beyond the comprehension of mortals, for it has none 
1 :39. 

I have an impulse within me to preach the Gospel of 
salvation. 4 43. 

God, angels, and good men being my helpers, I will 
never cease to contend, inch by inch, until we gain the 
ground and possess the Kingdom. That is my feeling and 
faith, and we will accomplish it. I will prophesy, in the 
name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that we will possess the 
Kingdom of God upon the whole earth, and possess the 
earth. 8:166. 

I know enough to let the Kingdom alone, and do my 
duty. It carries me, I do not carry the Kingdom. I sail in 
the old ship Zion, and it bears me safely above the raging 
elements ; I have my sphere of action and duties to perform 



694 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

on board of that ship ; to faithfully perform them should be 
my constant and unceasing- endeavor. 11 .252. 

For nearly thirty years 1 have sought to know the truth, 
and to properly understand the principles of the holy Priest- 
hood revealed from heaven through the Prophet Joseph , 
and I have ceased not, when I have had an opportunity, at 
the proper time and in the proper place, to present those 
principles to my fellow-men. 7.131. 

I love to fight the devils, but I love to overcome them 
3-224. 

We have forsaken the kingdom of darkness, have come 
out in open rebellion to the power of the Devil on this earth, 
and I for one will fight him, so help me God, as long as 
there is breath in my body, and do all in my power to 
overthrow his government and rule And if he complains 
that I am infringing upon his ground, I shall very politely 
ask him to go to his own place, where he belongs If any 
among this community want to sustain the government of 
the Devil, in preference to the Kingdom of God, I wish them 
to go where they belong. I want to sustain the govern- 
ment of heaven, and shall stick fast to it, by the help of 
God If we sustain it, it will build us up and crown us with 
victory and eternal life. 10 41. 

But I am proud to say of my religion, I have studied it 
faithfully for twenty- two years, day and night, at home and 
abroad, upon the rivers, and upon the lakes, when travelling 
by sea and by land; have studied it m the pulpit; from 
morning till night ; whatsoever might be my pursuit, I have 
studied it with as close an application as any college student 
ever did any subject he wished to commit to memory ; and 
I can say I have only just got into the A B C of it; it leads 
the vision of my mind into eternity 1 :39 



SOME EFFECTS OF THE GOSPEL 695 

Blessings Conditioned Upon Good Works — Every bless- 
ing the Lord proffers to his people is on conditions. These 
conditions are. "Obey my law, keep my commandments, 
walk in my ordinances, observe my statutes, love mercy, 
preserve the law that I have given to you inviolate, keep 
yourselves pure in the law, and then you are entitled to 
these blessings, and not until then." 16 162. 

Good actions always result in blessings. The history 
of the people of God in all ages testifies that whenever they 
have listened to the counsel of heaven they have always 
been blessed. All this people are satisfied that they will be 
more blessed to hearken to good counsel than not to do so 
12-122. 

Brethren and sisters, if we wish the blessings of heaven 
upon us, let us be faithful to our covenants and callings, 
faithful in paying tithing, in keeping the Word of Wisdom 
and m building temples 16 69 

If the brethren will take hold and perform the labors 
devolving upon them, they shall be blessed in them. They 
will increase in health and in wealth. The Lord will bless 
the people in proportion as they bless themselves. 16 68. 

I wish the people could realize that they walk, live, and 
abide in the presence of the Almighty. The faithful shall 
have eyes to see as they are seen, and you shall behold 
that you are in the midst of eternity and in the presence of 
holy beings, and be enabled ere long to enjoy their society 
and presence. You are greatly blessed. 8 200 

Do just as well as you know how in all things, never 
permitting yourself to commit an act unless the Spirit of 
God within you justifies you in doing it. And if you live 
every day of your lives according to the best light and un- 
derstanding you possess, glorifying God, our Heavenly 



696 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

Father, just as far as your knowlege extends, I will promise 
you eternal life in the Kingdom of God 19 *220. 

The man, or the woman, that mainly looks after the 
fruit, after the luxuries of life, good food, fine apparel and 
at the same time professes to be a Latter-day Saint, if he 
does not get that spirit out of his heart, it will obtain a per- 
fect victory over him ; whereas he is required to obtain a vic- 
tory over his lusts and over his unwise feelings 4 52 

Increasing Blessings — Instead of the righteous being 
bound tighter and tighter, they will continue to have more 
and more liberty, as we are more and more faithful, and ob- 
tain more power with the heavens and more of the power 
of God upon us Let us seek diligently unto the Lord, until 
we obtain the faith of Jesus in its fulness, for those who 
possess this are free indeed. 10 288. 

If the Lord had a people on the earth that he had per- 
fect confidence in, there is not a blessing in the eternities 
of our God, that they could bear in the flesh, that he would 
not pour out upon them. Tongue cannot tell the blessings 
the Lord has for a people who have proved themselves be- 
fore him 4:79. 

The greatest blessing that can be bestowed on the chil- 
dren of men is power to civilize themselves after the order 
of the civilization of the heavens — to prepare themselves to 
dwell with heavenly beings who are capable of enduring 
the presence of the Gods. 8 :7. 

"Mormonism" keeps men and women young and hand- 
some; and when they are full of the Spirit of God, there 
are none of them but what will have a glow upon their 
countenances; and that is what makes you and me young, 
for the Spirit of God is with us and within us. 5:210 

Personal Blessings Upon the People— Brethren and 



SOME EFFECTS OF THE GOSPEL 697 

sisters, may God bless you ! I bless you all the time, Halle- 
lujah! Praise the name of Israel's God; for my soul exults 
in his name. 6.100 

I will say to you, my brethren and sisters, I bless you. 
I bless you according to the Priesthood that I hold and the 
keys thereof. I bless you in the name of Jesus Christ. 
16-170. 

God bless you ! Peace be with you, and love be multi- 
plied upon the people. I pray for the good all over the earth 
My desire is to see the Kingdom of God prosper 15 134. 

May God bless you ! Peace be upon you ! Be fervent in 
spirit, humble, teachable, and prayerful, taking care of your- 
selves, endeavoring to save yourselves, and all you have 
any influence over, which is my continual prayer for you, 
in the name of Jesus Amen. 1:111. 

Brethren and sisters, inasmuch as I have the right and 
privilege, through the Priesthood, I bless you in the name 
of the Lord, and say, be you blessed. These are my feel- 
ings to the Lattei-day Saints, and would be to all the human 
family, if they would receive my blessings, in the name of 
Jesus Christ. Amen. 2-10. 

May the Lord God Almighty bless the Saints, and every- 
one who will permit his blessings to come upon them. I am 
under the same obligations to bless sinners as I am to bless 
Saints, if they will receive my blessings. I pray for the 
blessings of heaven upon the work of his hands, for we 
are all his children— the sons and daughters of our Parent 
who dwells in the heavens. 8:261. 

God bless every good man. God bless the works of 
nature, God bless his own work, overthrow the wicked and 
ungodly and them that would destroy their fellow beings, 
that war and contentions may cease on the earth. Lord, 



698 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

remove these from office and place good men at the head 
of the nations, that they may learn war no more, but go 
to, like rational and civilized being's, sustain peace on the 
earth and do good to each other 12 289 

God bless you, and I pray that you may be blessed , but 
I pray you to bless yourselves Brethren and sisters, let 
us bless ourselves, by doing the will of God, then we are 
right 16:71. 

I have experienced much in my life, and I will not ask 
you to do any better by one another, nor by me, than I do 
by you, and I will bless you all the time I feel to bless you 
continually , my life is here, my mteiest, my glory, my pride, 
my comfort, my all aie here, and all I expect to have, to all 
eternity is wrapped up m the midst of this Church. 

If I do not get it in this channel, I shall not have it at 
all How do you suppose I feel? I feel as a father should 
feel towards his children I have felt so for many years, 
even when I durst not say so; I have felt as a mother feels 
towards her tender offspring, and durst not expiess my 
feelings, but I have tried to carry out their expression in 
my life. May God bless you. Amen 3 333. 

I do not hate any man on earth or in hell. The worst 
wish I have for the wicked is that they may be obliged to 
live according to good and wholesome laws. 8 43. 

There is not a man or woman on this eaith that I hate , 
but I do most cordially hate their wicked acts. I am at war 
with false principles— with wickedness, sin, and abomina- 
tion, and I expect to continue my warfare until I over- 
come. 7 *6. 

I feel happy ; I feel at peace with all the inhabitants of 
the earth; I love my friends, and as for my enemies, I pray 
for them daily ; and. if they do not believe I would do them 



SOME EFFECTS OF THE GOSPEL W>9 

good, let them call at my house, when they are hungry, and 
I will feed them ; yea, I will do good to those who despite- 
fully use and persecute me I pray for them, and bless my 
friends all the time. 11.111. 

If I had power, I certainly would bless the people with 
everything their hearts could wish if they would not sin. I 
would do, as I heard the mothers of some of my children 
say that went with me to St George this winter, that I 
indulged them in every thing they wanted. Why? Because 
they never manifested a desire for anything wrong. And 
if it were in my power I would bless all the inhabitants of 
the earth, with everything in which they could glorify God, 
and purify their own hearts. 18 .362. 

God bless you, my children, my little ones. I love you, 
I am a great lover of children and innocence and purity, and 
I am a hater of iniquity. I think very frequently, in look- 
ing upon the actions of men that I do not have compas- 
sion enough , but when I see the wolf among the lambs I 
am after them, to see that they do not destroy the lambs 
I would have given worlds if I could have known the truth 
in my childhood, as I now hear it I had a great desire to 
know it, and the priests were after me from the time I was 
eight years of age. I was infidel to their creeds, but not to 
the Bible, not to God, not to holiness, but to the creeds of 
the children of men I was infidel, and am to this day. I say, 
God ble^s you, my children 19 :65. 



CHAPTER XLI 
JOSEPH SMITH 

A Prophet of God~-I honor and revere the name of 
Joseph Smith. I delight to hear it; I love it. I love his 
doctrine. 13 :216. 

What I have received from the Lord, I have received by- 
Joseph Smith; he was the instrument made use of. If I 
drop him, I must drop these principles ; they have not been 
revealed, declared, or explained by any other man since the 
days of the Apostles. If I lay down the Book of Mormon, 
I shall have to deny that Joseph is a Prophet ; and if I lay 
down the doctrine and cease to preach the gathering of 
Israel and the building up of Zion, I must lay down the 
Bible; and, consequently, I might as well go home as under- 
take to preach without these three items. 6.279-280. 

I feel like shouting Hallelujah, all the time, when I think 
that I ever knew Joseph Smith, the Prophet whom the 
Lord raised up and ordained, and to whom he gave keys 
and power to build up the Kingdom of God on earth and 
sustain it. These keys are committed to this people, and 
we have power to continue the work that Joseph com- 
menced, until everything is prepared for the coming of the 
Son of Man. This is the business of the Latter-day Saints, 
and it is all the business we have on hand. 3 :51. 

Not that Joseph was the Savior, but he was a Prophet. 
As he said once, when some one asked him, "Are you the 
Savior?" "No, but I can tell you what I am — I am hK 
brother." So we can say. 14:202. 

Joseph Smith has laid the foundation of the Kingdom ot 



JOSEPH SMJTH 701 

God in the last days; others will rear the superstructure 
9 364. 

I never saw any one, until I met Joseph Smith, who 
could tell me anything about the character, personality 
and dwelling-place of God, or anything satisfactory about 
angels, or the relationship of man to his Maker. Yet I was 
as diligent as any man need to be to try and find out these 
things. 16.46. 

What is the nature and beauty of Joseph's mission? You 
know that I am one of his Apostles. When I first heard him 
preach, he brought heaven and earth together ; and all the 
priests of the day could not tell me anything correct about 
heaven, hell, God, angels, or devils; they were as blind as 
Egyptian darkness. When I saw Joseph Smith, he took 
heaven, figuratively speaking, and brought it down to earth ; 
and he took the earth, brought it up, and opened up, in 
plainness and simplicity, the things of God ; and that is the 
beauty of his mission I had a testimony, long before that, 
that he was a Prophet of the Lord, and that was consoling. 
Did not Joseph do the same to your understandings? Would 
he not take the Scriptures and make them so plain and sim- 
ple that everybody could understand? Every person says, 
"Yes, it is admirable; it unites the heavens and the earth 
together," and as for time, it is nothing, only to teach us 
how to live in eternity. 5 :332. 

When you hear a man pour out eternal things, how well 
you feel, to what a nearness you seem to be brought with 
God. What a delight it was to hear Brother Joseph talk 
upon the great principles of eternity ; he would bring them 
down to the capacity of a child, and he would unite heaven 
with earth, this is the beauty of our religion. 4 -54. 

There is not that being that ever had the privilege of 



702 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

hearing the way of life and salvation set before him as it is 
written in the New Testament, and in the Book of Mormon, 
and in the book of Doctrine and Covenants, by a Latter- 
day Saint, that can say that Je^us lives, that his Gospel is 
true, and at the same time say that Joseph Smith was not 
a Prophet of God That is strong testimony, but it is true. 
No man can say that this book (laying- his hand on the 
Bible) is true, is the word of the Lord, is the way, is the 
guide-board in the path, and a charter by which we may 
learn the will of God, and at the same time say, that the 
Book of Mormon is untrue , if he has had the privilege of 
reading it, or of hearing it read, and learning its doctrines 
There is not that person on the face of the earth 
who has had the privilege of learning the Gospel of Jesus 
Christ from these two books, that can say that one is true, 
and the other is false. No Latter-day Samt, no man or 
woman, can say the Book of Mormon is true, and at the 
same time say that the Bible is untrue, If one be true, both 
are; and if one be false, both are false If Jesus lives, and 
is the Savior of the world, Joseph Smith is a Prophet of God, 
and lives in the bosom of his father Abiaham Though 
they have killed his body, yet he lives and beholds the face 
of his Father in Heaven, and his gaiments are pure as the 
angels that surround the throne of God; and no man on 
the earth can say that Jesus lives, and deny, at the same 
time, my assertion about the Prophet Joseph This is my 
testimony, and it is strong. 1 .38. 

Who can justly say aught against Joseph Smith? I was 
as well acquainted with him, as any man I do not believe 
that his father and mother knew him any better than I did 
I do not think that a man lives on the earth that knew him 
any better than I did; and I am bold to say that, Jesus 



JOSEPH SMITH 703 

Christ excepted, no better man ever lived or does live upon 
this earth. I am his witness He was persecuted for the 
same reason that any other righteous person has been or is 
persecuted at the present day 9 '332. 

I never have professed to be Brother Joseph, but 
Brother Brigham, trying to do good to this people I am no 
better, nor any more important than another man who is 
trying to do good. If I am, I don't know it. If I improve 
upon what the Lord has given me, and continue to improve, 
I shall become like those who have gone before me ; I shall 
be exalted in the celestial kingdom, and be filled to over- 
flowing with all the power I can wield , and all the keys of 
knowledge I can manage will be committed unto me What 
do we want more? I shall be just like every other man — 
have all that I can, in my capacity, comprehend and man- 
age. 6-275-276 

Called and Directed by God—He called upon his servant 
Joseph Smith, Jr , when he was but a boy, to lay the founda- 
tion of his Kingdom for the last time. Why did he call upon 
Joseph Smith to do it? Because he was disposed to do it 
Was Joseph Smith the only person on earth who could have 
done this work? No doubt there were many others who, 
under the direction of the Lord, could have done that work ; 
but the Lord selected the one that pleased him, and that is 
sufficient. 11 253. 

In all ages of the world that we have any knowledge of, 
when there was a people on the earth whom God acknowl- 
edged as his people, he has invariably dictated them in 
spiritual and in temporal things. This question was agi- 
tated year after year in the days of Joseph. The first two 
Bishops in the Church—Edward Partridge was the first— I 
was well acquainted with him, and Newel K Whitney was 



704 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

the second-— questioned the propriety of Joseph having any- 
thing to do with temporal things Joseph would argue the 
case with them a little, and tell them how things were, and 
bring up scripture to show them that it could not be other- 
wise—that it was impossible for the Lord to dictate to peo- 
ple unless he dictated them in temporal affairs The very 
first act after believing is a temporal act. After I hear 
ihe Gospel preached and believe it, I go down into the 
waters of baptism, which is a temporal act ; it is an act that 
pertains to my will and my body ; I will that my body shall 
go down into the water and be immersed for the remission 
of my sins ; consequently, I have to go to the Elder who 
taught me the Gospel, the spiritual portion of the Kingdom, 
and apply to him to administer this temporal ordinance, 
and he has to do it; having taught the doctrine he offi- 
ciates in the act and you will find it through life, every cir- 
cumstance, in every case, the man that dictates the spiritual 
Kingdom of God, must dictate the temporal affairs, it can- 
not be otherwise. I say this to you, because the idea m the 
minds of a few of the people is, "Brigham ought not to 
meddle with temporal affairs/' They said so to Joseph, and 
they said so much about it, that I went into the temple at 
Kirtland, and challenged the men who were querying on 
this, to prove or bring up one instance where God did not 
manifest his will concerning temporal things whenever he 
made known his will to the children of men for establish- 
ing his Kingdom on the earth. They always came to the 
floor ; they had to do it, there was nothing else for them ; 
it prostrated every person. There were William E. 
McLellin, John F. Boynton, and Lyman Johnson who be- 
longed to the Twelve, Frederick G. Williams, second coun- 
selor to Joseph, and two-thirds of the High Council, all talk- 



JOSEPH SMITH , 705 

ing about this, and I went into the temple and just chal- 
lenged them to show wherein the Lord ever conferred upon 
any man in the world the power to dictate in spiritual af- 
fairs, that he did not in tempoial affairs? They could not 
do it I told them they could not draw the line between 
the spiritual and the temporal. All things were created 
first spiritual, and then temporal. Everything in the spirit 
world was presented as we see it now, and this temporal 
earth was presented there. We were in the spirit world, 
and we came here into this time, which is in eternity, noth- 
ing in the world only a change of time and seasons allotted 
to a change of being that makes it time to us. It is in eter- 
nity, and we are just as much in eternity now, as we shall 
be millions of years hence But it is time measured to 
finite beings, and it is changeable, and we call it temporal, 
while the fact is it is all spiritual in the first place, then 
temporal, then spiritual, and made immortal, consequently 
you cannot divide them I say this for those to reflect upon 
who think that there is a difference between temporal and 
spiritual things. I do not say, for I do not know that there 
are any such here. 18 ,243. 

Development of the Prophet—From the day that Joseph 
obtained the plates, and previous to that time, the Lord 
dictated him He directed him day by day and hour by 
hour 8 :66. 

Joseph continued to receive revelation upon revelation, 
ordinance upon ordinance, truth upon truth, until he ob- 
tained all that was necessary for the salvation of the human 
family. All the inhabitants of the earth are called of God : 
they are called to repent and be baptized for the remission 
of sins. 16 42. 

We have passed from one thing to another, and I may 



706 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

say from one degree of knowledge to another When 
Joseph first received the knowledge of the plates that were 
in the hill Cumorah, he did not then receive the keys of the 
Aaronic Priesthood, he merely leceived the knowledge that 
the plates were there, and that the Lord would bring them 
forth, and that they contained the history of the aborigines 
of this country. He received the knowledge that they were 
once m possession of the Gospel, and from that time he went 
on, step by step, until he obtained the plates, and the Urim 
and Thummm and had power to translate them This did 
not make him an Apostle, it did not give to him the keys of 
the Kingdom, nor make him an Elder m Israel He was a 
Prophet, and had the spnit of prophecy, and had received all 
this before the Lord ordained him. And when the Lord, by 
tevelation, told him to go to Pennsylvania, he did so, and 
finished the translation of the Book of Mormon ; and when 
the Lord, in another revelation, told him to come back, into 
New York State, and to go to old Father Whitmer's, who 
lived in a place opposite Waterloo, and there stop, he did 
so, and had meetings, and gathered up a few who believed in 
his testimony He received the Aaronic Priesthood, and 
then he received the keys of the Melchizedek Priesthood, 
and organized the Church He first received the power to 
baptize, and still did not know that he was to receive any 
more until the Lord told him there was more for him Then 
he received the keys of the Melchisedek Priesthood, and had 
power to confirm aftei he had baptized, which he had not 
befoie. He would bave stood precisely as John the Bap- 
tist stood, had not the Lord sent his other messengers, Peter, 
James and John, to ordain Joseph to the Melchizedek Priest- 
hood Then, after some of the brethren had been out 
preaching, he had a revelation that they should go up to 



JOSEPH SMITH 707 

the State of Ohio. I knew of them, though I was not ac- 
quainted with them before they went up there They were 
seen by some of my family, my father saw and conversed 
with them. Then the way opened for a large gathering in the 
State of Ohio. Parley P. Pratt, Oliver Cowdery, Ziba 
Peterson, David Whitmer, John Whitmer, and a few others, 
went up there and preached the Gospel, and they came 
among the members of the society called Campbelhtes, for- 
merly members of the Close Communion Baptists, their 
leader's name being Alexander Campbell. This man 
preached the doctrine that baptism was for the remission of 
sins, and that split the church; but when- the brethren came 
to these societies and taught them, not only baptism for the 
remission of sins, but the laying on of hands for the recep- 
tion of the Holy Ghost, they believed it, and were baptized 
for the remission of their sins, and received the laying on of 
hands for the Holy Ghost, and then received other ordi- 
nances. 

At this time [1841] came a revelation that we could 
be baptized for our dead friends, but at first it was not re- 
vealed that a record should be kept of those who were bap- 
tized , but when he received an additional revelation to that 
effect, then a record was kept. Hundreds and thousands, I 
suppose, were baptized before any record was kept at all, 
and they were baptized over, and a record kept of the bap- 
tisms and the names of the administrator, those who acted 
for the dead, and of the dead, and of the witnesses. You can 
read in the book of Doctrine and Covenants, the letter that 
Joseph wrote, when he was away from home, in regard to 
having witnesses at these baptisms. I relate this to show 
you that the Lord did not reveal everything at once. But 
I need not dwell on this any longer, 18 ;23940. 



708 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

What Joseph Taught— All that Joseph Smith did was to 
preach the truth — the Gospel as the Lord revealed it to him 
—and tell the people how to be saved, and the honest-m- 
heart ran together and gathered around him and loved him 
as they did their own lives He could do no more than to 
preach true principles, and that will gather the Saints m 
the last days, even the honest-in-heart. All who believe 
and obey the Gospel of Jesus Christ are his witnesses to the 
truth of these statements 10 326. 

The excellency of the glory of the character of Brother 
Joseph Smith was that he could reduce heavenly things to 
the understanding of the finite. When he preached to the 
people— levealed the things of God, the will of God, the 
plan of salvation, the purposes of Jehovah, the relation in 
which we stand to him and all the heavenly beings, he re- 
duced his teachings to the capacity of every man, woman, 
and child, making them as plain as a well-defined p'athway. 
This should have convinced every person that ever heard 
of him of his divme authority and powei, for no other man 
was able to teach as he could, and no person can reveal the 
things of God, but by the revelations of Jesus Christ. 8 206 

No man was to be found who could teach repentance 
and baptism for the remission of sins, with authority to ad- 
minister in the ordinances, until God commissioned Joseph 
Smith, and sent him forth with his commandment to the 
people Previous to that time, I searched everything per- 
taining to the churches; I searched high and low to find 
whether there was any such thing as pure religion upon the 
earth ; I searched for a man that could tell me something o£ 
God, of heaven, of angels and of eternal life. I believed in 
God the Father, and in Jesus Christ, but I could not believe 
that the Church of Christ was upon the earth. The ques- 



JOSEPH SMITH 709 

tion was frequently asked, "Is the Methodist Church, the 
Quakeis, or the Mother Chinch right?" No, I would reply, 
there is not a Bible church upon the earth. I might have 
continued to study the Bible and all the books that have 
been written, and without revelation from God I would have 
been like the sounding brass or tinkling cymbal, having 
no knowledge of God, of true religion, of the redemp- 
tion of the living or of the dead; I would have lived 
and died in ignorance ; and this was the condition of all the 
inhabitants of "the earth. 10 311. 

There was nothing of a temporal or spiritual nature sug- 
gested by Joseph Smith in his day, for the action of the 
Latter-day Saints that would not have been beneficial for 
them; if they had, with one heart and mind, performed all 
he desired them to do. 11 .18. 

Results of the Prophet's Labors — Joseph Smith, though 
he spent only fouiteen years in presiding over this people, 
organizing the Church, proclaiming the Gospel and receiv- 
ing revelations, yet had hundreds and thousands of men and 
women who were ready to go to the death with him 14 .149. 

Now, as bad as myself and my brethren are, and as far 
as we are from the mark, and from the privileges we should 
enjoy, if Joseph Smith, Jr, the Prophet, could have seen 
the people in his day as willing to obey his voice, as they 
are today to obey the voice of their President, he would 
have been' a happy man. He lived, labored, toiled, and 
worked ; his courage was like the courage of an angel, and 
his will was like the will of the Almighty, and he labored 
till they killed him. 11 :322. 

Persecutions of the Prophet— Are there not scores of 
men and women here who are familiar with the death of 
our Prophet? Why did people hate him? Because of his 



710 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

influence Did he gain or exercise an uniighteous influ- 
ence? By no means He possessed a righteous influence 
over the spirits, feelings, passions, and dispositions of all 
who delighted in truth and goodness, so far as he associated, 
and could guide them at his pleasure 

Ami hated for the same cause? lam. I am hated for 
teaching people the way of life and salvation— for teaching 
them principles that pertain to eternity, by which the Gods 
were and are, and by which they gam influence and power 
Obtain that influence, and you will be hated, despised, and 
hunted like the roe upon the mountains The way to obtain 
that influence is pointed out—by whom? By him through 
whom the worlds were created, and who has redeemed this 
earth and all things upon it 7 -3 

Our situation is peculiar at the present time Has it not 
been peculiar ever since Joseph found the plates? The cir- 
cumstances that surrounded him when he found the plates 
were singular and strange He passed a short life of sorrow 
and trouble, surrounded by enemies who sought day and 
night to destroy him If a thousand hounds were on this 
Temple Block, let loose on one rabbit, it would not be a bad 
illustration of the situation at times of the Prophet Joseph. 
He was hunted unremittingly We have the privilege of be- 
lieving the same Gospel that Joseph taught, and with him of 
being numbered with those whose names are cast out as 
evil. 10:315. 

June 27, 1844, a little over fourteen years after the or- 
ganization of this Church, Joseph Smith was slain. In his 
day there were but very few years of rest for the Saints 
They occupied Nauvoo longer than any other one place, 
they lived there about seven years. We left Nauvoo m 
1846, and from that time until now this Church has not been 



JOSEPH SMITH 711 

compelled to abandon their property and homes. We came 
here in the best and quickest way in our power, and have 
been building, fencing, planting, sowing, and making our- 
selves comfortable It is now more than ten years since 
we first located here, unmolested and undisturbed. 7 42 
I lived close by where these plates were found I knew 
that Joseph found them, from outward circumstances that 
transpired at the time. I shall not take time to relate but 
a httle of the delicate, kind, benevolent, Christian-like, I 
will say anti-Godlike feelings of the priests and of the peo- 
ple who professed Christianity at the time that Joseph or- 
ganized this Church The very first thing that was circu- 
lated was this — "Did you hear that Joe Smith and his fol- 
lowers got together last night, blew out the light, stripped 
themselves stark naked, and there they had the holy roll?" 
A great many of you do not understand this term. It came 
from the Shaking Quakers I shall not attempt to relate 
here the conduct attributed to them, but from that sprung 
the peculiar phrase I have mentioned in your hearing this 
afternoon. In a very short time we were all thieves in the 
estimation of our so-called Christian neighbors. Said the 
priest to a beloved sister, "Sister, did you hear of such a 
man, he was a member of our church a few days since, but 
he has joined old Joe Smith?" Says the sister, "No, can it 
be possible?" "Well, they say so," says the priest, and he 
himself had fabricated the entire story. This sister would 
tell it to another, and it would go all through the neighbor- 
hood that such a man, who only a few days before had been 
considered by them as good a brother as they had in their 
church, had become a chicken thief. But you cannot men- 
tion any crime that this people called Latter-day Saints 
have not been accused of committing by their so-called 



712 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

Christian neighbors, and these stories would generally com- 
mence by the priests whispering to some sister, "Did you 
hear of such and such a thing ?" That was enough, all that 
was wanted, it became a solemn fact by the time it passed 
the third mouth. 16 67. 

Had Joseph Smith been an impostor and of the world, 
the world would not have hated him, but would have loved 
its own. Had Joseph Smith made political capital of his 
religion and calling, and raised up a political party, he 
doubtless would have become celebrated and renowned in 
the world as a great man and as a great leader. 9 '332. 

Harrassed by Lawsuits— He was poor, harrassed, dis- 
tressed, afflicted, and tormented with lawsuits, persecu- 
tion upon persecution, and it cost thousands and hun- 
dreds of thousands of dollars to keep him alive, which a 
few had to sustain Is this affliction upon them now? It 
is not The scene is reversed And as the people once 
thought, that many by one man could be made poor, they 
now believe, by one man many will be made rich. At the 
present day I do not know where the opportunity is to 
prove the people. 1 75. 

Joseph Smith was arraigned before Judge Austin A. 
King, on a charge of treason. The Judge inquired of Mr. 
Smith, "Do you believe and teach the doctrine that in the 
course of time the Saints will possess the earth ?" Joseph 
replied that he did, "Do you believe that the Lord will 
raise up a kingdom that will fill the whole earth and rule 
over all other kingdoms, as the Prophet Daniel has said?" 
"Yes, sir, I believe that Jesus Christ will reign King of na- 
tions as he does King of Saints?" "Write that down, clerk , 
we want to fasten upon him the charge of treason, for if 
he believes this, he must believe that the State of Missouri 



JOSEPH SMITH 1 713 

will crumble and fall to rise no more " Lawyer Doniphan 
said to the Judge, "Judge, you had better make the Bible 
treason and have done with it" 9 '331. 

Joseph, our Prophet, was hunted and driven, arrested 
and persecuted, and although no law was ever made in 
these United States that would bear against him, for he 
never broke a law, yet to my certain knowledge he was de- 
fendant in forty-six lawsuits, and every time Mr Priest 
was at the head of and led the band or mob, who hunted 
and persecuted him And when Joseph and Hyrum were 
slain in Carthage jail, the mob, painted like Indians, was led 
by a preacher. 14.199. 

Joseph Smith, in forty-six prosecutions, was never 
proved guilty of one violation of the laws of his country. 
They accused him of treason, because he would not fellow- 
ship their wickedness, 10:111. 

Of Good Character — We can find no person who pre- 
sents a better character to the world, when the facts are 
known, than Joseph Smith, Jr., the Prophet, and his brother, 
Hyrum Smith, who was murdered with him 14 '203. 

The history of Joseph and Mary is given to us by their 
best friends, and precisely as we will give the history of the 
Prophet Joseph. We know him to have been a good man, 
we know that he performed his mission, we know that he 
was an honorable man and dealt justly, we know his true 
character. 3:366. 

But let his enemies give his character, and they will 
make him out one of the basest men that ever lived. Let 
the enemies of Joseph and Mary give their characters to 
us, and you would be strongly tempted to believe as the 
Jews believe. 3:366. 

Why the Prophet Was Killed—If it be the will of the 



714 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

Lord for the people to live, they will live If it had been 
the will of the Lord that Joseph and Hyrum should have 
lived, they would have lived It was necessary for Joseph 
to seal his testimony with his blood. Had he been destined 
to live he would have lived. The Lord suffered his de,ath 
to bring justice on the nation. The debt is contracted and 
they have it to pay. 13 95. 

Many of the Prophets have sealed their testimony with 
their blood, that their testament might go forth with force 
and not return void. As in ancient days, so m modem days 
When Joseph Smith sealed his testimony with his blood, 
his testament from that moment was in force to all the 
world ; and woe to those who fight against it 19 .5 

Joseph Smith knew this, and when he went to Carthage 
he said, "I go to death , I go like a lamb to the slaughter , 
I go to my fate." 10 194 

If Brother Joseph Smith had taken a company and 
come to this country, as he intended to do, he could have 
been living here now, in spite of earth and hell. 5 342 

Forty-five years ago they were determined to kill the 
Prophet Joseph I have lain upon the floor scores of nights 
ready to receive the mob who sought his life This persecu- 
tion commenced with a little neighborhood, then a town, 
then a county, then a state, and then the people of the 
United States ; and by and by other nations will be just as 
bitter towards us and the doctrines we preach, as many of 
the people of our own nation now are They will struggle 
and strive, and plan and devise, saying, "Let us take this 
course, and that course ;" and they will struggle until they 
will come to a stop as though they were against a moun- 
tain of solid rock. They will do all they can to break us up, 
and even destroy us ; this has been the case now for the last 



JOSEPH SMITH , 715 

forty-five years Joseph Smith had forty-six lawsuits, 
and I was with him through the most of them, and never 
was the first thing proved against him ; he was never guilty 
of the first violation of the law or of good order. And when 
Governor Ford asked him to go to prison, as the mob were 
so enraged that he could not insure his life, that he might 
be safe until he returned from Nauvoo, he said "I will 
pledge you the faith of the State of Illinois for your safety." 
But as soon as he was gone, the mob murdered both Joseph 
and his brother Hyrum, in the jail. That was to be so. I 
heard Joseph say many a time, "I shall not live until I am 
forty years of age." The spring before he was killed — his 
death occurred the 27th of June, 1844 — he hurried off the 
first Elders of the Church. All right, I thought then, and 
I think so now. It is all in the hands of God. They killed 
Joseph, and what for ? For the Gospel's sake. It was for 
no evil, for I was well acquainted with him. He testified to 
the truth, he sealed his testimony with his blood. Whether 
we believe in blood atonement or not, the Lord so ordered 
it, that Joseph, as well as others of the Prophets, sealed 
their testimony with their blood. 18 :361. 

Joseph's Work in the Spirit World— Jesus had a work 
to do on the earth. He performed his mission, and then 
was slain for his testimony So it has been with every man 
who has been foreordained to perform certain important 
missions. Joseph truly said, "No power can take away my 
life, until my work is done." All the powers of earth and 
hell could not take his life, until he had completed the work 
the Father gave him to do ; until that was done, he had to 
live. When he died he had a mission in the spirit world, 
as much so as Jesus had. '4:285. 

Is Joseph glorified? No, he is preaching to the spirits 



716 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

in prison He will get his resurrection the first of any one 
in this Kingdom, for he was the first that God made choice 
of to bring forth the work of the last days 

His office is not taken from him, he has only gone to 
labor in another department of the operations of the Al- 
mighty He is still an Apostle, still a Prophet, and is doing 
the work of an Apostle and Piophet, he has gone one step 
beyond us and gained a victoiy that you and I have not 
gamed, still he has not yet gone into the celestial kingdom, 
or, if he has, it has been by a direct command of the Al- 
mighty, and that, too, to return again so soon as the purpose 
has been accomplished. 3 -371 

Nature of the Prophet and His Family — What of Joseph 
Smith's family 7 What of his boys? I have prayed from the 
beginning for Sister Emma and for the whole family. There 
is not a man in this Church that has entertained better feel- 
ings towards them Joseph said to me, ''God will take care 
of my children when I am taken." They are in the hands 
of God, and when they make their appearance before this 
people, full of his power, there are none but what will say, 
"Amen ! we are ready to receive you." 8 69 

The Twelve, the Successors of the Prophet— At the 
death of Joseph, when the Twelve returned to Nauvoo, to 
use a comparison, the horses were all harnessed and the 
people were in the big carriage, and where were they going? 
They did not know Who would gather up the lines and 
guide the team? No man would step forward, until I did 
There was not one of the Twelve with me when I went to 
meet Sidney Rigdon on the meeting-ground. I went alone, 
and was ready alone to face and dnve the dogs from the 
flock 8.317 

Now, it is no more my duty to live so as to know the 



JOSEPH SMITH 717 

mind and will of the Lord, than it is the duty of my breth- 
ren, the rest of the Twelve I say the rest of the Twelve, 
because I am the President of the Quorum of the Twelve 
Apostles on the earth, and the only one that the Lord has 
ever acknowledged It is tiuc that Thomas B. Marsh was 
om*e President, but the Lord never acknowledged any man 
by revelation as President of that Quorum but myself. At 
the death of Joseph I stepped out from that position in the 
advance, according to the organization of the Church, for 
the sake of preserving the flock of God, but not according 
to my wishes, nor the desire of my heait, but it was my 
duty When I heard of the Prophet's death I said, "What 
will become of the people? What will the Saints do now 
that the Prophet has gone?" It was my whole desire to 
preserve the sheep of the flock of God, and it is so today. 
Brother Kimball also stepped into the first Presidency, and 
we called others and ordamed them to take our place for 
the time being, that the Church might be fully organized, 
and we expect to ordain more when we feel like it. 18 -70 

Some Sayings of the Prophet—Joseph used to say, 
"When you get the Latter-day Saints to agree on any point, 
you may know it is the voice of God." 12 -301. 

Will the Constitution be destroyed? No; it will be held 
inviolate by this people; and, as Joseph Smith said, "The 
time will come when the destiny of the nation will hang 
upon a single thread At this critical juncture, this people 
will step forth and save it from the threatened destruction." 
It will be so. 7:15. 

Hundreds of people in this house are my witnesses, who 
heard Joseph say, when asked whether we should ever dare 
to leave Nauvoo, "The Saints will leave Nauvoo. I do not 
say they will be driven, as they were from Jackson County, 



718 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

Missouri, and from that State, but they will leave heie and 
go to the mountains And the next time the Saints remove, 
or are caused to remove, they will be turned out of the fry- 
ing-pan, not into the fire, but into the middle of the floor " 
If this is not the middle of the floor, I do not know where 
you will find it. 8 356. 

I recollect many times when Brother Joseph, reflecting 
upon how many would come into the Kingdom of God and 
go out again, would say, "Brethren, I have not apostatized 
yet, and don't feel like doing so." Many of you, no doubt, 
can call to mind his words. Joseph had to pray all the 
time, exercise faith, live his religion, and magnify his call- 
ing, to obtain the manifestations of the Lord, and to keep 
him steadfast in the faith. 2 .257. 

Who delivered Joseph Smith from the hands of his 
enemies to the day of his death ? It was God; though he 
was brought to the brink of death time and time again, and, 
to all human appearance, could not be delivered, and there 
was no probability of his being saved When he was in jail 
in Missouri, and no person expected that he would ever 
escape from their hands, I had the faith of Abiaham, and 
told the brethren, "As the Lord God liveth, he shall come 
out of their hands" Though he had prophesied that he 
would not live to be forty yeais of age, yet we all cherished 
hopes that that would be a false prophecy, and we should 
keep him forever with us , we thought our faith would out- 
reach it, but we were mistaken— he at last fell a martyr to 
his religion I said, "It is all right, now the testimony is 
in full force , he has sealed it with his blood, and that makes 
it valid." 1.364. 

The question was asked a great many times of Joseph 
Smith, by gentlemen who came to see him and his people, 



JOSEPH SMITH 719 

tf How is it that you can control your people so easily? It 
appears that they do nothing but what you say , how is it 
that you can govern them so easily ? " Said he, "I do not 
govern them at all. The Lord has revealed certain princi- 
ples from the heavens by which we are to live in these latter 
days The time is drawing near when the Lord is going to 
gather out his people from the wicked, and he is going to 
cut short his work in righteousness, and the principles 
which he has revealed I have taught to the people and they 
are trying to live according to them, and they control them- 
selves." 

Gentlemen, this is the great secret now in controlling 
this people It is thought that I control them, but it is not 
so It is as much as I can do to control myself and to keep 
myself straight and teach the people the principles by which 
they should live 13 176. 

I recollect one remark that Brother Joseph used to make 
frequently, when talking to the Elders. No matter what he 
set them to do, whether he wanted them to go to a foreign 
land on a mission, or to go into business, he would say, 
"When you commence, go in at the little end of the horn , 
for if you do not, but enter at the big end, you will either 
have to turn round and come out at the end you went in 
at, or go out at the small end, and be squeezed nigh unto 
death " 

Let an Elder hire the best halls in large cities to begin 
with, and go to lecturing, and it will take him a long time 
to raise a Branch of this Church But let him begin among 
the poor of the earth— those who live in the cellars, and 
garrets, and back streets; "for," says the Almighty, "I am 
going to take the weak things of the earth, and with them 
confound the wisdom of the wise," You will see that trait 



720 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

in every step of "Mormonism." God has chosen the ob- 
scure and weak, to bring them lip and exalt them Is not 
that the work of a God, the performance of this work with- 
out money and without price? The Gospel is sent to all the 
inhabitants of the earth—to the high and the low, the noble 
and the ignoble, the young and the old. "Here is the 
Gospel; you are welcome to it." "Don't you ask anything 
for it? Not a farthing It has to go to the world, with- 
out money and price." Now, compare this with carrying 
the Gospel with your pockets full of money; and in the 
latter case, where is your glory and honor? 8.354. 

I recollect, in Far West, Joseph, talking upon these 
matters, said, "The people cannot bear the revelations that 
the Lord has for them. There were a great many revela- 
tions if the people could bear them." I think it was the 
eighth day of July, 1831, Joseph had a revelation that the 
people should consecrate their surplus property for the 
building of a temple there in Far West, for the support of 
the Priesthood, for the paying of the debts of the Presi- 
dency, etc , which I could give an account of, for I was pres- 
ent when it came. Joseph was doing business in Kirtland, 
and it seemed as though all creation was upon him, to 
hamper him in every way, and they drove him from his 
business, and it left him so that some of his debts had to be 
settled afterwards, and I am thankful to say that they were 
settled up ; still further, we have sent East to New York, to 
Ohio, and to every place where I had any idea that Joseph 
had ever done business, and inquired if there was a man left 
to whom Joseph Smith, Jr., the Prophet, owed a dollar, or a 
sixpence. If there was we would pay it. But I have not 
been able to find one. I have advertised this through every 



JOSEPH SMITH 721 

neighborhood and place where he formerly lived, conse- 
quently I have a right to conclude that all his debts were 
settled. 18 242 

Brother Kimball quoted a saying of Joseph the Prophet, 
that he would not worship a God who had not a Father; and 
I do not know that he would if he had not a mother , the one 
would be as absurd as the other. If he had a Father, he 
was made in his likeness. And if he is our Father we are 
made after his image and likeness. He once possessed a 
body, as we now do; and our bodies are as much to us, as 
his body to him. Every iota of this organization is neces- 
sary to secure for us an exaltation with the Gods. 9:286. 

My name is had for good and evil upon the whole earth, 
as promised to me. Thirty years ago Brother Joseph, in 
a lecture* to the Twelve said to me, "Your name shall be 
known for good and evil throughout the world," and it is 
so. The good love me, weak and humble as I am, and the 
wicked hate me; but there is no individual on the earth but 
what I would lead to salvation, if he would let me , I would 
take him by the hand, like a child, and lead him like a father 
in the way that would bring him to salvation. 10:297. 



CHAPTER XLII 
THE SETTLEMENT IN THE WEST 

The Journey Across the Plains — A short recital of the 
reasons, why these children before me were born here in- 
stead of being born in the States, I can give to you, and will 
endeavor to do so in a few words. 

In 1830, forty-seven years ago last March, the Book of 
Mormon was printed and bound. Joseph Smith had re- 
ceived revelation, and plates on which were en- 
graved characters from which the book was trans- 
lated Before the book was printed, before Joseph had the 
privilege of testifying to the truth of the latter-day work, 
persecution was raised against him. On the 6th day of 
April of the same year the Church of Jesus Christ was or- 
ganized. Persecution increased and continued to increase 
He left the State of New York and went to the State of 
Ohio. The Gospel was preached there and many received 
it. A settlement was formed, but Joseph had not the priv- 
ilege of staying there long before they hunted him so de- 
terminedly that he was forced to leave Kirtland and the 
State of Ohio. He then went to Missouri. In the year 
1838, in the month of March, in company with a number of 
brethren, myself included, Joseph arrived at Far West, 
Caldwell County, Missouri We had not the privilege of 
staying there more than for a few months before the cry 
was raised against Joseph Smith, that he was guilty of high 
treason. This aroused the people and the government of the 
state; and in October, thirty-five hundred of the militia of 
the state of Missouri were marched against a few of us in 
Far West. They succeeded in taking Joseph and Hyrum 



THE SETTLEMENT IN THE WEST 723 

and sixty-five others and putting them in prison. When 
Joseph had his trial, the great accusation against him was 
that he believed m the fulfilment of prophecy — the pro- 
phecies that had been made by Prophets of old and con- 
tained in Holy Writ When Judge King asked Joseph if he 
believed the predictions of Daniel the Prophet, that m the 
latter-days the God of heaven would set up a kingdom 
which should succeed and finally rule and hold dominion 
over all other kingdoms, Joseph replied that he did believe 
this scripture as well as the rest. This was considered 
treason ! Joseph's lawyer turned to Judge King and said, 
"Judge, I think you had better write it down that the Bible 
is treason/' and this was all they found against him. But 
the mob continued until they drove the Latter-day Saints 
out of the state of Missouri We were told if we remained 
there the people would be upon us What we were guilty 
of we did not know, only that we believed in the Bible and 
the fulfilment of prophecy, or, m other words, in the literal 
reading of the word of God. They succeeded, after killing 
many of the Latter-day Saints— men, women, and children, 
cruelly massacring them— in driving us out of the state 
to the State of Illinois, where the people received us with 
open arms, especially the inhabitants of the city of Quincy; 
for which kindness the hearts of our people who passed 
through these scenes have ever been lifted to God, petition- 
ing for blessings upon them. And they have been blessed 
We lived in the State of Illinois a few years; and here, as 
elsewhere, persecution overtook us. It came from Missouri, 
centering itself upon Joseph, and fastened itself upon others. 
We lived in Illinois from 1839 to 1844, by which time they 
again succeeded m kindling the spirit of persecution against 
Joseph and the Latter-day Saints. Treason! Treason! 



724 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

Treason! they cried, calling us murderers, thieves, liars, 
adulterers, and the worst people on the earth. And this 
was done by the priests, those pious dispensers of the 
Christian religion whose charity was supposed to be extend- 
ed to all men, Christian and heathen, they were joined by 
drunkards, gamblers, thieves, liars, in crying against the 
Latter-day Saints. They took Joseph and Hyrum, and as 
a guarantee for their safety, Governor Thomas Ford 
pledged the faith of the State of Illinois They were im- 
prisoned, on the pretense of safe keeping, because the mob 
was so enraged and violent. The Governor left them in 
the hands of the mob, who entered the prison and shot them 
dead. John Taylor, who is present with us today, was in 
the prison too, and was also shot, and was confined to his 
bed for several months afterwards After the mob had 
committed these murders, they came upon us and burned 
our houses and grain. When the brethren would go out to 
put out the fire, the mob would he concealed under fences, 
and in the darkness of the night, they would shoot them 
At last they succeeded in driving us from the State of 
Illinois. 

Three congressmen came m the fall of 1845, and had a 
conference with the Twelve and others ; they were desirous 
that we should leave the United States We told them we 
would do so, we had stayed long enough with them, we 
agreed to leave the State of Illinois in consequence of that 
religious prejudice against us that we could not stay in 
peace any longer. These men said the people were pre- 
judiced against us. Stephen A. Douglas, one of the three, 
had been acquainted with us. He said, "I know you, I know 
Joseph Smith; he was a good man," and this people are a 
good people ; but the prejudices of the priests and the un~ 



THE SETTLEMENT IN THE WEST 725 

godly are such that, said he, "Gentlemen, you cannot stay 
here and live in peace." We agreed to leave. We left Nau- 
voo in February, 1846. There remained behind a few of the 
very poor, the sick and the aged, who suffered again from 
the violence of the mob ; they were whipped and beaten, and 
had their houses burned. We travelled west, stopping in 
places, building settlements, where we left the poor who 
could not travel any farther with the company. Exactly 
thirty years today myself, with others, came out of what we 
named Emigration Canyon; we crossed the Big and Little 
mountains, and came down the valley about three quarters 
of a mile south of this. We located, and we looked about, 
and finally we came and camped between the two forks of 
City Creek, one of which ran south-west and the other 
west. Here we planted our standard on this temple block 
and the one above it; here we pitched our camps and de- 
termined that here we would settle and stop. Still our 
brethren who tarried by the way were toiling through pov- 
erty and distress. At one time, J was told, they would have 
perished from starvation, had not the Lord sent quails 
among them. These birds flew against their wagons, and 
they either killed or stunned themselves, and the brethren 
and sisters gathered them up, which furnished them with 
food for days, until they made their way in the wilderness. 

Children, we are the pioneers of this country, with one 
exception, west of the Mississippi river ; we established the 
first printing press in every state from here to the Pacific 
Ocean, and we were the first to establish good schools ; we 
were the first to plant out orchards and to improve the 
desert country, making it like the Garden of Eden. 19 :60. 

We wish strangers to understand that we did not come 
here out of choice, but because we were obliged to go some- 



726 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

where, and this was the best place we could find. It was 
impossible for any person to live here unless he labored 
hard and battled and fought against the elements, but it 
was a first-rate place to raise Latter-day Saints, and we 
shall be blessed in living here, and shall yet make it like the 
Garden of Eden , and the Lord Almighty will hedge about 
his Saints and will defend and preserve them if they will do 
his will. The only fear I have is that we will not do light ; 
if we do we will be like a city set on a hill, our light will 
not be hid. 14 121. 

In the year 1845 I addressed letters to all the Governors 
of states and territories in the Union, asking them for an 
asylum, within their borders, for the Latter-day Saints We 
were refused such privilege, either by silent contempt or a 
flat denial in every instance They all agreed that we could 
not come within the limi^ of their territory or state. Three 
members of Congress came to negotiate with us to leave 
the confines of the United States, and of the public domain 
It was understood that we were going to Vancouver Island , 
but we had our eye on Mexico, and here we are located 
in the midst of what was then northern Mexico 11 '18 

When we were driven from Nauvoo, our Elders went 
to the east to lay our case before the judges, governors, and 
rulers of the different states to ask for an asylum; but 
none was offered us. We sent men through the eastern 
country to try and raise some means for the destitute wo- 
men and children, whose husbands, fatheis and brothers 
had gone into the Mexican war at the call of the general 
Government, leaving their wives and children and aged 
fathers and mothers upon the open prairies without home 
or shelter, and the brethren who went east haidly got 
enough to bear their expenses. The great men of the na- 



THE SETTLEMENT IN THE WEST 727 

tion were asked if they would do anything for the Lord's 
people No, not a thing would they do, but hoped they 
would perish in the wilderness 11 17 

When I was written to m Nauvoo by the President of 
the United States, through another person, inquiring, 
"Where are you going, Mr Young?" I replied that I did 
not know where we should land We had men in England 
trying to negotiate for Vancouver's Island, and we sent a 
shipload of Saints round Cape Horn to California Men in 
authority asked, "Where are you going to?" "We may go 
to California, or to Vancouver's Island " When the Pioneer 
company reached Green River, we met Samuel Brannan 
and a few others from California, and they wanted us to 
go there. I remarked, "Let us go to California, and we can- 
not stay there over five years , but let us stay in the moun- 
tains, and we can raise our own potatoes, and eat them, 
and I calculate to stay here " We are still on the backbone 
of the animal, where the bone and the sinew are, and we in- 
tend to stay here, and all hell cannot help themselves. 
5 230-231. 

Mark our settlements for six hundred miles in these 
mountains and then mark the path that we made coming 
here, building the bridges and making the roads across the 
prairies, mountains and canyons ! We came here penniless 
in old wagons, our friends back telling us to "take all the 
provisions, you can, for you can get no more! Take all 
the seed grain you can, for you can get none there !" We 
did this, and in addition to all this we have gathered all the 
poor we could, and the Lord has planted us in these valleys, 
promising that he would hide us up for a little season until 
his wrath and indignation passed over the nations. Will we 
trust in the Lord? Yes 13 216 



728 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

The Saints were poor when they came into this valley, 
twenty-five years ago. They picked up a few buckskins, 
antelope skins, sheep skins, buffalo skins, and made leggings 
and moccasins of them, and wrapped the buffalo robes 
around them. Some had blankets and some had not ; some 
had shirts, and I guess some had not. One man told me 
that he had not a shirt for himself or family. 15:158. 

I will venture to say that not one of four out of my 
family had shoes to their feet when we came to this valley 
11 288. 

We printed the first papers, except about two, set out the 
first orchards, raised the fiist wheat, kept almost the first 
schools, and made the first improvements in our pioneering, 
in a great measure, from the Mississippi river to the Pacific 
Ocean ; and here we got at last, so as to be out of the way of 
everybody, if possible. We thought we would get as far 
as we could from the face of man , we wanted to get to a 
strange land, like Abraham, that we might be where we 
should not be continually wrong with somebody or other, 
and have them crying, "Oh, you Mormons !" and have the 
priests preaching, the press printing, the drunkard swearing, 
and all, high and low, rich and poor, wishing these poor 
"Mormons" were out of the way We got out of the way 
as far as we could ; and if we can get out of the way any 
farther and do any good, we are ready to get out of the way ; 
but I think we are as far out of the way as we need to be; 
and we have got on the highway which has been cast up, 
and I think we had better stay here 14 -208 

Mormon Battalion— When we were right in the midst of 
Indians, who were said to be hostile, five hundred men were 
called to go to Mexico to fight the Mexicans, and, said Mr 
Benton — "If you do not send them we will cover you up, 



THE SETTLEMENT IN THE WEST 729 

and there will be no more of you." I do not want to think 
of these things, their authors belong to the class I referred 
to yesterday — the enemies of mankind, those who would 
destroy innocence, truth, righteousness and the Kingdom of 
God from the earth. We sent these five hundred men to 
fight the Mexicans, and those of us who remained behind 
labored and raised all that we needed to feed ourselves in 
the wilderness. We had to pay our own school teachers, 
raise our own bread and earn our own clothing, or go with- 
out, there was no other choice. We did it then, and we are 
able to do the same today. 16:19. 

With regard to our going into the wilderness, and our 
there being called upon to turn out five hundred able-bodied 
men to go to Mexico, we had then seen every religious and 
political right trampled under foot by mobocrats; there 
were none left to defend our rights ; we were driven from 
every right which freemen ought to possess. In forming 
that battalion of five hundred men, brother Kimball and 
myself rode day and night, until we had raised the full 
number of men the Government called for. Captain Allen 
said to me, using his own words, "I have fallen in love with 
your people. I love them as I never loved a people before." 
He was a friend to the uttermost. When he had marched 
that Mormon Battalion as far as Fort Leavenworth, he was 
thrown upon a sick bed where I then believed, and do now, 
he was nursed, taken care of, and doctored to the silent 
tomb, and the battalion went on with God for their friend. 

That battalion took up their line of march from Fort 
Leavenworth by way of Santa Fe, and over the desert and 
dreary route, and planted themselves in the lower part of 
California, to the joy of all the officers and men that were 
loyal. At the time of their arrival, General Kearney was 



730 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

in a straitened position, and Colonel P. St. George Cooke 
promptly marched the battalion to his relief, and said to 
him, "We have the boys here now that can put all things 
right" The boys in that battalion performed their duty 
faithfully. I never think of that little company of men 
without the next thoughts being, "God bless them for ever 
and for ever " All this we did to prove to the Government 
that we were loyal. Previous to this, when we left Nauvoo, 
we knew that they were going to call upon us, and we were 
prepared for it in our faith and in our feelings. I knew then 
as well as I do now that the Government would call for a 
battalion of men out of that part of Isiael, to test our loyalty 
to the Government Thomas H. Benton, if I have been 
rightly informed, obtained the requisition to call for that 
battalion, and, in case of non-compliance with that requisi- 
tion, to call on the militia of Missouri and Iowa, and other 
states, if necessary, and to call volunteers from Illinois, from 
which state we had been driven, to destroy the camp of 
Israel. This same Mr Benton said to the President of the 
United States, in the presence of some other persons, "Sir, 
they are a pestilential race, and ought to become extinct " 
10.106. 

Have not this people invariably evinced their friendly 
feelings, disposition, and patriotism towards the Govern- 
ment by every act and proof which can be given by any 
people? 

Permit me to draw your attention, for a moment, to a 
few facts in relation to raising the battalion for the Mex- 
ican war. When the storm cloud of persecution lowered 
down upon us on every side, when every avenue was closed 
against us, our leaders treacherously betrayed and slain 
by the authorities of the Government in which we lived, and 



THE SETTLEMENT IN THE WEST 731 

no hope of relief could penetrate through the thick darkness 
and gloom which surrounded us on every side, no voice was 
raised in our behalf, and the general Government was silent 
to our appeals. When we had been insulted and abused all 
the day long, by those in authority requiring us to give up 
our arms, and by every other act of insult and abuse which 
the prolific imagination of our enemies could devise to test, 
as they said, our patriotism, which requisitions, be it known, 
were always complied with on our part ; and when we were 
finally compelled to flee, for the preservation of our lives 
and the lives of our wives and children to the wilderness ; 
I ask, had we not reason to feel that our enemies were also 
in favor of our destruction? Had we not, I ask, some reason 
to consider them all, both in people and the Government, 
alike our enemies? 

And when, in addition to all this, and while fleeing from 
our enemies, another test of fidelity and patriotism was con- 
trived by them for our destruction, and acquiesced in by the 
Government (through the agency of a distinguished poli- 
tician who evidently sought, and thought he had planned, 
our overthrow and total annihilation) consisting of a re- 
quisition from the war department, to furnish a battalion of 
five hundred men to fight under their officers, and for them, 
in the war then existing with Mexico, I ask again, could we 
refrain from considering both people and Government our 
most deadly foes ? Look a moment at our situation, and the 
circumstances under which this requisition was made. We 
were migrating, we knew not whither, except that it was 
our intention to go beyond the reach of our enemies- We 
had no home, save our wagons and tents, and no stores of 
provisions and clothing ; but had to earn our daily bread by 
leaving our families in isolated locations for safety, and 



732 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

going among our enemies to labor. Were we not, even 
befoie this cruel requisition was made, unmercifully borne 
down by oppression and persecution past endurance by any 
other community? But under these trying circumstances 
we were required to turn out of our travelling camps five 
hundred of our most efficient men, leaving the old, the 
young, the women upon the hands of the residue, to take 
care of and support , and in case we refused to comply with 
so unreasonable a requirement, we were to be deemed 
enemies to the Government, and fit only for the slaughter 
Look also at the proportion of the number required of 
us, compared with that of any other portion of the Republic 
A requisition of only thirty thousand from a population of 
more than twenty millions was all that was wanted, and 
more than was furnished, amounting to only one person 
and a half to a thousand inhabitants. If all other circum- 
stances had been equal, if we could have left our families 
in the enjoyment of peace, quietness, and security in the 
houses from which Ave had been driven, our quota of an 
equitable requisition would not have exceeded four persons 
Instead of this, five hundred must go, thirteen thousand per 
cent above an equal ratio, even if all other things had been 
equal, but under the peculiar circumstances in which it was 
made comparison fails to demonstrate, and reason itself 
totters beneath its enormity. And for whom were we to 
fight? As I have already shown, for those that we had every 
reason to believe were our most deadly foes. Could the 
Government have expected our compliance therewith? Did 
they expect it? Did not our enemies believe that we 
would spurn, with becoming resentment and indigna- 
tion, such an unhallowed proposition? And were they 
not prepared to make our rejection of it a pretext 



THE SETTLEMENT IN TEE WEST 733 

to inflame the Government still more against us, 
and thereby accomplish their hellish purposes upon an 
innocent people, in their utter extinction? And how was 
this proposition received, and how was it responded to by 
this people? I went myself, in company with a few of my 
brethren, between one and two hundred miles along the 
several routes of travel, stopping at every little camp, using 
our influence to obtain volunteers, and on the day appointed 
for the rendezvous the required complement was made up ; 
and this was all accomplished in about twenty days from 
the time that the requisition was made known. 

Our battalion went to the scene of action, not in easy 
berths on steam-boats, nor with a few months' absence, but 
on foot over two thousand miles across trackless deserts and 
barren plains, experiencing every degree of privation, hard- 
ship, and suffering during some two years' absence before 
they could rejoin their families. Thus was our deliverance 
again affected by the interposition of that All-wise Being 
who can discern the end from the beginning, and overrule 
the wicked intentions of men to promote the advancement of 
his cause upon the earth. Thus were we saved from our 
enemies by complying with their, as hitherto, unjust and 
unparalleled exactions; again proving our loyalty to the 
Government. 

Here permit me to pay a tribute of respect to the mem- 
ory of Captain Allen, the bearer of this requisition from the 
Government. He was a gentleman full of humane feelings, 
and, had he been spared, would have smoothed the path, 
and made easy the performance of this duty, so far as laid 
in his power. His heart was wrung with sympathy when he 
saw our situation, and filled with wonder when he witnessed 
the enthusiastic patriotism and ardor which so 



734 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

promptly complied with his requirement, again prov- 
ing, as we had hundreds of times before proved, 
by our acts, that we were belied by our enemies, 
and that we were as ready, and even more so than any 
other inhabitants of the Republic, to shoulder the musket, 
and go forth to fight the battles of our common country, or 
stand in her defense. History furnishes no parallel, either 
of the severity or injustice of the demand, or m the alacrity, 
faithfulness, and patriotism with which it was answered and 
complied. Thus can we cite instance after instance of per- 
sons holding legal authority, being moved upon, through the 
misrepresentation and influence of our enemies to insult us 
as a people, by requiring a test of our patriotism How long 
must this state of things continue? So long as the people 
choose to remain in wilful ignorance with regard to us ; so 
long as they choose to misinterpret our views, misrepresent 
our feelings, and misunderstand our policy. 2.173 

We made and broke the road from Nauvoo to this place. 
Some of the time we followed Indian trails, some 
of the time we ran by the compass, when we left the 
Missouri river we followed the Platte. And we killed rattle- 
snakes by the cord in some places, and made roads and 
built bridges till our backs ached. Where we could not 
build bridges across rivers, we ferried our people across, 
until we arrived here, where we found a few naked Indians, 
a few wolves and rabbits, and any amount of crickets , but 
as for a green tree or a fruit tree, or any green field, we 
found nothing of the kind, with the exception of a few 
cottonwoods and willows on the edge of City Creek For 
some 1200 or 1300 miles we carried every particle of pro- 
vision we had when we arrived here. When we left our 
homes we picked up what the mob did not steal of our 



THE SETTLEMENT IN THE WEST 735 

horses, oxen and calves, and some women drove their own 
teams here Instead of 365 pounds of breadstuff when 
they started from the Missoun river, there was not half of 
them had half of it We had to bring our seed grain, our 
farming utensils, bureaus, secretaries, sideboards, sofas, 
pianos, large looking glasses, fine chairs, carpets, nice 
shovels and tongs, and other fine furniture, with all the 
parlor, cook stoves, etc., and we had to bring these things 
piled together with some women and children, helter skelt- 
er, topsy turvy, with broken down horses, ring-boned, 
spavined, pole evil, fistula and hipped , oxen with three legs, 
and cows with one teat. This was our only means of trans- 
portation, and if we had not brought our goods in this man- 
ner we would not have had them, for there was nothing 
here You may say this is a burlesque. Well, I mean it as 
such, for we, comparatively speaking, really came here 
naked and barefoot 12 286-287 

Settlement in the Great Salt Lake Valley— In the days 
of Joseph we have sat many hours at a time conversing 
about this very country. Joseph has often said, "If I were 
only in the Rocky Mountains with a hundred faithful men, 
I would then be happy, and ask no odds of mobocrats." 
1M6. 

I do not wish men to understand I had anything to do 
with our being moved here, that was the providence of the 
Almighty , it was the power of God that wrought out salva- 
tion for this people, I never could have devised such a 
plan. 4 41 

I did not devise the great scheme of the Lord's opening 
the way to send this people to these mountains. Joseph 
contemplated the move for years before it took place, but 
he could not get here, for there was a watch placed upon 



736 DISCOURSES OF 3RIGHAM YOUNG 

him continually to see that he had no communication with 
the Indians. This was in consequence of that which is 
written in the Book of Mormon ; one of the fust evils alleged 
against him was that he was going to connive with the In- 
dians ; but did he ever do anything of the kind? No, he al- 
ways strove to promote the best interest of all, both red 
and white Was it by any act of ours that this people were 
driven into their midst? We are now their neighbors, we 
are on their land, for it belongs to them as much as any soil 
ever belonged to any man on earth ; we are drinking their 
water, using their fuel and timber, and raising our food 
from their ground. 4 41. 

We have faith, we live by faith ; we came to these moun- 
tains by faith. We came here, I often say, though to the 
ears of some the expression may sound rather rude, naked 
and barefoot, and comparatively this is true 13 '172. 

We had to have faith to come here When we met Mr. 
Bridger on the Big Sandy River, said he, "Mr. Young, I 
would give a thousand dollars if I knew an ear of corn could 
be ripened m the Great Basin." Said I, "Wait eighteen 
months and I will show you many of them " Did I say this 
from knowledge? No, it was my faith, but we had not the 
least encouragement — from natural reasoning and all that 
we could learn of this country — of its sterility, its cold and 
frost, to believe that we could ever raise anything But we 
travelled on, breaking the road through the mountains and 
building bridges until we arrived here, and then we did 
everything we could to sustain ourselves. We had faith 
that we could raise grain ; was there any harm in this? Not 
at all. If we had not had faith, what would have become 
of us? We would have gone down in unbelief, have closed 



THE SETTLEMENT IN THE WEST 737 

up every resource for our sustenance and should never have 
raised anything. 13.173. 

I cannot help being here. We might have gone to Van- 
couver's Island; and if we had, we should probably have 
been driven away or used up before this time. But here 
we are in the valleys of the mountains, where the Lord 
directed me to lead the people. The brethren who are in 
foreign countries desire to gather to the gathering-place of 
the Saints, and they have for the present to come to Great 
Salt Lake City. They cannot help that. Why did we not 
goj;o San Francisco? Because the Lord told me not: "For 
there are lions in the way, and they will devour the lambs, 
if you take them there." What now can we do? Why, 
instead of being merchants, instead of going to St. Louis to 
buy goods, we can go down to our Dixie land, the southern 
part of our Territory, and raise cotton and manufacture 
goods for ourselves. 9 -105. 

A great many wanted to go to the Gila River ; that was 
proposed when we first came to this valley. It was said to 
be a lovely country, and that men could live there almost 
without labor. What if we had gone there? You see what 
has followed us here ; but what would have been the result, 
if we had gone there ? Long before this time we would have 
buen outnumbered by our enemies; there would have been 
more against us than for us in our community. Suppose we 
had gone to Texas, where Lyman Wight went? He tried 
to make all the Saints believe that Joseph wanted to take 
the whole Church there. Long before this, we would have 
been killed, or compelled to leave the country. We could 
not have lived there. 4 :344. 

We came to these mountains because we had no other 
place to go to We had to leave our homes and possessions 



738 DISCOURSES of BRIGHAM young 

on ttite fertile lands of Illinois to make our dwelling places in 
these desert wilds, on barren, sterile plains amid lofty, 
rugged mountains. None dare come here to live until we 
came here, and we now find it to be one of the best coun- 
tries in the world for us 10*223. 

Five years ago we were menaced on every side by the 
cruel persecutions of our inveterate enemies, hundreds of 
families, who had been forced from their homes, and com- 
pelled to leave behind them their all, were wandering as 
exiles in a state of abject destitution ; but, by the favor of 
heaven, we have been enabled to surmount all these dif- 
ficulties, and can assemble here today in the chamber of 
these mountains, where there are none 4 to make us afraid, 
far from our persecutors, far from the turmoil and confu- 
sion of the old world. 1 .376, 

Seven years ago tomorrow, about eleven o'clock, I 
crossed the Mississippi River, with my brethren, for this 
place, not knowing, at that time, whither we were going, 
but firmly believing that the Lord had in reserve for us a 
good place m the mountains, and that he would lead us di- 
rectly to it. It is but seven years since we left Nauvoo, and 
we are now ready to build another temple I look back 
upon our labors with pleasure Here are hundreds and 
thousands of people that have not had the privileges that 
some of us have had. Do you ask, what privileges ^ Why, 
of running the gauntlet, of passing through the narrows. 
They have not had the privilege of being robbed and 
plundered of their property, of being in the midst of mobs 
and death, as many of us have. 1 279 

When the pioneers came into these valleys we knew 
nearly all the families which composed the settlements \y\ 
Upper and Lower California. 10:189. 



THE SETTLEMENT IN THE WEST 739 

The most of the people called Latter-day Saints have 
been taken from the rural and manufacturing districts of 
this and the old countries, and they belonged to 
the pool est of the poor Many of them, I may 
say the great majority, never had anything around 
them to make life very desirable, they have been 
acquainted with poverty and wretchedness, hence 
it cannot be expected that they should manifest that refine- 
ment and culture prevalent among the rich Many and 
many a man here, who is now able to ride in his wagon and 
perhaps in his carriage, for years before he started for Zion 
never saw daylight His days were spent m the coal mines, 
and his daily toil would commence before light in the morn- 
ing and continue until after dark at night. Now what can 
be expected from a community so many of whose members 
have been brought up a like this, or if not just like this, still 
under circumstances of poverty and privation? Certainly 
not what we might expect from those reared under more 
favorable circumstances. But I will tell you what we have 
in our mind's eye with regard to these very people, and 
what we are trying to make of them. We take the poorest 
we can find on earth who will receive the truth, and we are 
trying to make ladies and gentlemen of them We are try- 
ing to educate them, to school their children, and to so train 
them that they may be able to gather around them the 
comforts of life, that they may pass their lives as the human 
family should do— that their days, weeks, and months may 
be pleasant to them We prove that this is our design, foi 
the result, to some extent, is already before us 14*103 

Talk about these rich valleys, why there is not another 
people on the earth that could have come here and lived. 
We prayed over the land, and dedicated it and the water, 



740 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

air and everything pertaining to them unto the Lord, and 
the smiles of heaven rested on the land and it became pro- 
ductive, and today yields us the best of gram, fruit and 
vegetables 12*288. 

There never has been a land, from the days of Adam 
until now, that has been blessed more than this land has 
been blessed by our Father in Heaven ; and it will still be 
blessed more and more, if we are faithful and humble, and 
thankful to God for the wheat and the coin, the oats, the 
fruit, the vegetables, the cattle and eveiything he bestows 
upon us, and try to use them for the building up of his 
Kingdom on the earth. 10*35. 

You inquire if we shall stay in these mountains I an- 
swer yes, as long as we please to do the will of God, our 
Father in Heaven. If we are pleased to turn away from the 
holy commandments of the Lord Jesus Christ, as ancient 
Israel did, every man turning to his own way, we shall be 
scattered and peeled, driven before our enemies and perse- 
cuted, until we learn to remembci the Lord our God and 
are willing to walk in his ways 1 1 274 

Many may inquire, "How long shall we stay here?" We 
shall stay here just as long as we ought to "Shall we be 
driven, when we go?" If we will so live as to be satisfied 
with oui selves, and will not drive ourselves from our homes, 
we shall never be driven from them Seek for the best 
wisdom you can obtain, learn how to apjply your labor, build 
good houses, make fine farms, set out apple, pear, and other 
fruit trees that will flourish here, also the mountain currant 
and raspberry bushes, plant strawberry beds, and build up 
and adorn a beautiful city. The question now arises— "Do 
you think it best for us to live in cities?" Lay out your 



THE SETTLEMENT IN THE WEST 741 

cities, but not so large that you cannot readily raise the 
whole city, should an enemy come upon you. 8:288. 

I do not know that I have prayed for rain since I have 
been in these valleys until this year, during which I believe 
that I have prayed two or three times for rain, and then 
with a faint heart, for there is plenty of water flowing down 
these canyons in crystal streams as pure as the breezes of 
Zion, and it is our business to use them. 3:331. 

When water is brought to the termination of the canal, 
which we can accomplish in a few days, I presume that the 
reservoirs on the line of the work and those portions which 
are excavated in full will contain water enough to allow the 
people to irrigate when necessary, and thus do away with 
the practice of watering only two hours a week on a city lot, 
and much of that to be done in the night. And that is not 
all, for by the time the water is fairly on a lot it is taken by' 
the next person whose right it is to use it. And lots which 
have had thousands of dollars expended on them, and which 
would yield more than a thousand dollars' worth of fruit 
and vegetables, could they be properly irrigated, are only 
allowed a small stream of water for two hours once a week, 
and at the same time an adjoining lot planted with corn, the 
hills six feet apart and one stalk in a hill, comparatively 
speaking, the balance of the ground being covered with 
weeds, is allotted the same time and amount of water as the 
one on which the fruit trees and other choice vegetation are 
worth thousands of dollars. 

There ought to be a reformation in the distribution of 
the water. The man who will not raise five dollars' worth 
of produce on his lot, has the same water privilege as the 
man who could raise a thousand dollars' worth. For in- 
stance, brother Staines gets the water for two hours in a 



H2 DISCOURSES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG 

week, and what are his fruit trees worth? He could make his 
thousand dollars a year from them, if he were disposed to 
sell the fruit instead of giving it away, could he have a fair 
portion of water. I have a lot just below him well culti- 
vated m fruit trees, a nursery, and choice vegetables, I also 
can only have the water on my lot for two hours in a week , 
when lots nearby with but little on them except weeds, 
get the same water privilege, and that too in the day time, 
while we have to use it m the night Water masters ought 
to look to this matter, until they have arranged a more just 
distribution 3 '329 

The river Jordan will be brought out and made to flow 
through a substantial canal to Great Salt Lake City, When 
this is done, it will not only serve as a means of irrigating, 
but it will form a means of transportation from the south 
end of Utah Lake to Great Salt Lake City. 11 .116. 

As soon as that is completed from big Cottonwood to 
this city, we expect to make a canal on the west side of 
Jordan, and take its water along the east base of the west 
mountains, as there is moie farming land on the west side 
of that river than on the east. When that work is accomp- 
lished we shall continue our exertions, until Provo river 
runs to this city. We intend to bring it around the point 
of the mountain to Little Cottonwood, from that to Big 
Cottonwood, and lead its waters upon all the land from 
Provo canyon to this city, for there is more water runs in 
that stream alone than would be needed for that purpose 
3-329. 

Untifthe Latter-day Saints came here, not a person 
among all the mountaineers and those who had traveled 
here, so far as we could learn, believed that an ear of corn 
would ripen m these valleys We know that corn and 



THE SETTLEMENT IN THE WEST 743 

wheat produce abundantly here, and we know that we have 
an excellent region wherein to raise cattle, horses, and 
every other kind of domestic animal that we need. We 
also knew this when we came here thirteen years ago thib 
summer. Bridger said to me, "Mr. Young, I would give a 
thousand dollars, if I knew that an ear of corn could be 
ripened in these mountains. I have been here twenty years, 
and have tried it in vain, over and over again." I told him 
if he would wait a year or two we would show him what 
could be done. A man named Wells, living with Miles 
Goodyear, where now is Ogden City, had a few beans grow- 
ing, and carried water from the- river in a pail to irrigate 
them. 8 288. 



INDEX 



Aaron, 222, literal descendant of, 
222. 

Aaronic Priesthood, conferred by 
John the Baptist, 220; Bishop 
head of, 222, Aaron held, 222 

Abraham, 161, received Priest- 
hood, 162. 

Accountants, ladies can learn to 
be, S37. 

Acta, more essential than words, 
610. 

Adam, greatest desire of, 94; re- 
ceives the gospel, 159, creation 
of, 160. 

Administering to the sick, 252; 
duty of fathers in, 252, reme- 
dies should be applied before, 
253, can be done by mothers, 
328 

Administrators of Law, opposed 
to the coirupt, 555, 556. 

Agency, Free, see Free Agency. 

Agriculture, more lands must be 
brought into cultivation, 455, 
canals built, 455, redeem lands 
which now he m waste, 455, 
prepare children for, 455, culti- 
vate your farm and gardens, 
456, plant orchards and vine- 
yards, 456; produce that which 
can be used for food of man, 
456; part of our religion, 509 
See also under cotton, flax, in- 
digo, silk, sugar, wheat. 

Allen, Captain, friend to the 
Saints, 729, 733; death of, 729. 

Angel, duty of, 63, difference be- 
tween, and Saints, 64. 

Anger, pray when in, 70; check 
your words of, 412; never 
speak evil when in, 412, no 
man possessing wisdom will 
give vent to, 413, cease your, 
413; wicked, 414; righteous, 
414; not to rise in our bosom, 
315. 

Annihilation, no such thing as, 
73. 

Anointing the sick with oil, 252. 

Awostasy, 12C, 132; the, 163. 

Apostates, condition of, 130. 

Apostles, priesthood of, 207; hold 
keys of Priesthood, 211, 218; to 
be in Church of Christ, 211; 
calling of an tt6, obedience of, 
testified to »y President 



Young, 216; called from mem- 
bers of Zion's Camp, 219, can 
be brought before Bishop, 223; 
to do work set them, 230, what 
makes them special witnesses, 
527. 

Ark of Covenant, sacredness of, 
633; place of Its keeping, 634. 

Astrology, 115. 

Atonement, 42. 

B 

Babylon, what is, 491. 

Baptism, by immersion, 245; not 
necessary for infants, 245, has 
been a law to all worlds, 246; 
for all who apply, 501, a tem- 
poral act, 704. 

Baptists, 9. 

Baptize, you' have not power to, 
yourselves, 248, who can le- 
gally, 248. 

Beautify, build beautiful cities, 
465, your gardens, 465, and 
make your mountain homes a 
paradise, 465; and plant shade 
trees along the boulevards, 
465, by cultivating flowers and 
shrubbery, 465 

Begging, if Saints will feed poor 
willingly, their children will 
not be found, 336. 

Benton, Thomas H., attitude of, 
toward Saints, 730. 

Bible, Gospel doctrine in, 9; 
words of life in, 191, Saints be- 
lievers in, 191; is true, 191; 
Gospel contained in, 192; to be 
voted out of Christian world, 
193, guide of Saints, 193, Saints 
preach doctrine of, 194; words 
of, not to be wrested, 194, 
standard work of Churck, 195, 
what infidel world says about, 
196, plamess of, 198, language 
of, 199 

Big Cottonwood, a canal to be 
built from, 742. 

Big Mountain, 725. 

Birth Control, 305 

Bishop, should be filled with 
power of Holy Ghost, 206; of- 
fice of, belongs to Aaronic 

t Priesthood, 217, 222; rights of 
a, 222, 223; not called to travel 
abroad, 223; to act as judge. 
223; and members of ward, 223 



746 



to "be a married man, 223, to be 
perfect example, 224, duties of 
a, 224, 226, to be prayed for, 
225, counselors of, to be ex- 
amples, 226 

Blessings, porportioned to ca- 
pacity, 146 , my heart is full of, 
350 

Blessed, are they who obey di- 
rect commandment, 340, more, 
are they who obey without di- 
rect commandment, 340 

Bodies, ttIII be resurrected, 570 

Body, importance of, 87, returns 
to Mother Earth, 564, the res- 
urrected, 573, 574 

Bookkeepers, ladies can learn to 
be, 337 

Book of Doctrine and Covenants', 
18 

Book of Mormon, 167, printed in 
March, 1830, 722 

Boynton, John F , 704. 

Bruiser, Jim, President Young's 
statement concerning corn to, 
736, 743 a 4 nOTj 

Business, ladies can conduct, 337 



Cahoon, Reynolds, one of first 
High Priests, 220, 221 

Cain, 1G0 

Campbell. Alexander, 707 

Cana of Galilee, miracle per- 
formed at, 522, 523 

Canal, to be from Big Cotton- 
wood to Salt Lake City, 742, to 
be built on ^est side of Jordan, 
742 

Capacity, blessings proportioned 
to, 14G 

Capitalists, need your labor, 462, 
honorable men, 462, want to 
make money, 462, build up 
your farms with earnings 
from, 462, should bring price 
of labor to a reasonable stan- 
dard, 463, should create busi- 
ness, 464, do not oppress the 
poor, 465 

Capital Stock, is time, 330 

Carpentry, how to teach to chil- 
dren, 325 

Carthage, tv here Joseph and Hy- 
nim were niartyrad, 724 

Calholies, 15 

Celestial beings, 150 

Celestial kingdom, who enter, 
586, wheie God and Christ 
dwell, 594, highest of all, 598, 
600, men to obtain, must bat- 
tle, 600. 



Celestial world, 150 

Center Stake of Zion, 174 

Centurion's Servant, healing of, 
no miiacle, 524 

Character, of Saints traduced, 
532 

Cbaiitr, show, 420, only a few 
men understand, 420, we 
should have, 420, will extend, 
421, of God, 421, administer 
chantable gifts, 422, tiue 
gentleman possesses, 429, Lord 
will bless the people that is 
full of, 432 

Chastened, Saints will be, 349, 
we will be, if we neglect our 
duty, 350. 

Cheating, men must quit, 351 

Child, training, guide to, 323 

Children, duties of, 313, 314, how 
and what to teach, 320, 321, 
322, Gospel to be taught to, 
320, when and how bound up 
to parents, 322 

Children of Israel, more rebel- 
lious than the Latter-day 
Saints, 351, government of, a 
theocracy, 544 

Cburch of England. 9 

Church of Jesus Christ of latter- 
day Saints, is the Church, 11, 
has Gospel of life and salva- 
tion, 11, how guided, C3, God 
is at the helm of, 132, warfare 
against, 171, led by Lord Al- 
mighty, 212, who can orgam/e, 
214, government of, 227, to be 
a theociatic government, 227, 
how to become members of, 
236 

Church of God, definition of, and 
kingdom, 670, object of, 671, to 
develop giadually, 672, effect 
of, 673, filthy cannot enter, 674, 
government of, 674, will con- 
tinue, 676, Jehovah head of, 
678, business of, 678, 679, in- 
dividual laW required in, 679, 
is of real worth, 680, give best 
you have to, 681 

City Creek, two forks of, 725, 
e.imp made on, 725. 

Ciiy of Zion, beauty of, 184, New 
Jerusalem to be, 185 

Civil War, forebodings of the, 
560 

Cleanliness, to be taught to chil- 
dren, 320 

Close Communion Baptists, 707 

Clothing, proper care of, 825 

Columbus, Inspired, 551. 



747 



Condemnation, upon parents, if 
they do not properly teach 
tli on childien, 320 

Congressmen, desued Saints to 
leave United States, 724, 727 

Commandments nono to be dis- 
pensed liuth, 341, thj keeping 
of, 34 J, none of, tend to tvil, 
342, given for our benefit, 34G 

Commerce, -ue must command, 
461, unless we can commind, 
better Without it, 4G1, railroad 
will furnish ua a m.nket for 
our, 461 

Common Consent, how to vote by, 
229, authorities sustained by, 

Compassion, let us have, 418 

Communication between God and 
man, 49. 

Confess mns to those sinned 
against, 31 C 

Confession of sm, when and how 
lo be inside, 244, 245, 31G 

Confidence, to be established be- 
tween each other, 31 S, estab- 
lished, 433 cherish 423, want 
of, 423, if we lack, 423, un- 
shaken, 423 faith and, 424, in 
each othei, 424, if we wish to 
establish, 424, if, has been lost, 
424, let us live to create, 424, 
tieasure un each particle of, 
424, in my neighbor, 425, 
restore, 425 

Confounded, Samts will not be, 
if they live their religion, 347. 

Confusion of Inst (lam, 170 

Consistency and Sincerity, prac- 
tice what we teach, 360, thou 
art the fairest lewels m the 
life of a saint, 380, flatter not 
the people in their iniquity, 
but chasten thorn for their 
wickedness, 361, our religion 
must Inst fiom Monday morn- 
ing till Monday morning, 301 

Constitution of the United States 
an inspired document, 550, is 
theocratic 544, will yet be 
saved by the Saints, 553, Saints 
opposed to corrupt adminis- 
tmtois of the, 556 

Contention, between Christ and 
Belial, 117, how to prevent 
among children, 324, avoid, 425, 
a disgrace, 425, frequently 
arises, 42G, take measures to 
prevent, 427 

Control, of a per^le, 348, of self 
necessary, 407, duty of Elders 
to, themselves, 408, let every 



man be the master of himself, 
408, appetites must be brought 
m subjection to spirit that lives 
within, 409, subdue our own 
passions, 410 

Cooke, Col. P. St. George, leader 
of Mormon Battalion, 730 

Co-operation, be of one heart. 

433, become one as the Father 
and Son are one, 433, peifect 
union, 434, unity of purpose, 

434, Church can not oxist and 
be diMded, 434, is stepping 
stone to Order of Enoch, 442, 
become one in temporal things, 
445. 

Corn, conversation about, be- 
tween President Toung and 
Jim Bridger, 736, 743 
Cotton, raise, 450 
Council In Heaven, 82, S3 
Counsel, 338, 339, is not given 
w ithout the spirit of revela- 
tion, 339, in temporal matters, 
339 
Con enant, Latter-day Saints enter 
new and everlasting, when 
they enter this Church, 427, 
to sustain the Kingdom of God, 
248-9. 
Coietonsne»s, the sin of, 470, 
Devil will play with a man who 
worships g-itn, 470, Elders who 
have, 470, men who are greedy, 
470, men i/ho place wealth of 
this world above the things of 
God have no eyes to see, 471, 
takos advantage of neighbor, 
471 
Cowdery, Oliver, testimony of, 
168, early missionary, 220, 707. 
Creation, puipose of, 87, 88. 
Creations, v?ork of God, 27 
Creeds, entitled to protection, 98 
Cuntorah, plates hid in, 706 
Cursed, Who ought to be, 350 



Dally duties, 18. 

Damnation, know enough for, 6. 

Dancing, go and enjoy yourselves 
in, 373, let God be m* your 
thoughts in, 373, exercise to 
the body and mind, 373, not 
in kouses set apart for re- 
ligious meetings, 375, who 
should not be, 375 

Day of rest, needed, 258 

Dead, should not mourn for 
righteous, 567. 



748 



INDEX 



Death, came by sin, 117; defined, 
141, opposed to, 151; and resur- 
rection, 564, separation of body 
and spirit, 565. 

Debt, pay your, 467; do not go 
into, 467; man who goes into, 
who has no prospect of pay- 
ing, Is dishonest, 467, man who 
will not pay, is no Latter-day 
Saint, 467; borrowers who do 
not pay, undeserving of the 
fellowship of the Saints, 467. 

Deceive, cannot, the Lord, 30 

Declaration of Independence 
signers of, were inspired, 550. 

Decomposition, 75. 

Defilcr, how to treat, 300. 

Denying, revelations of the Lord, 
345-. 

Destiny of man, 31, 33, 147. 

Devil, in heaven, 104; cast out of 
heaven, 104, does not own the 
earth, 105, power of, 105, mis- 
sion of, 106; has not power 
over body, only as man lets 
him, 107, enemy of God and 
man, 10 S, angels of, 121, ser- 
vants of, 348. 

Devotion, to the Gospel, 353. 

Devotion and Humility, essen- 
tials, 509 

Diet, 290, 292, 293. 

Disease, 289, 200 

Disgrace, not to take care of 
poor relatives, 4SS 

Dishonesty, cease, 432 

Disobedience, effect of, 36, ef- 
fects of, 349, causes persecution, 
537 

Disobey, those who, m ignor- 
ance not punished, 344, those 
who, knowingly, are punished, 
344 

Dixine laws, of no use unless ob- 
served, 344. 

Ditinity, within us, how to feed, 
256. 

Doctrine and Covenants, purpose 
of, 197. 

Doctrine, righteous decision in, to 
be had by unanimous vote, 
206; apostles, prophets, wnte 
same, upon same subject, 209 

Douglas, Stephen A., friendly to 
Saints, 724, 

Drive, parents should never, chil- 
dren, 323. 

Duty, what it is, 347, if Tve neg- 
lect our, we will bo chastened, 
350. 



£3 

Earth, millions of, 29; end of, 
45, eternal abode of man, 154; 
and resurrection, 155; abides 
law of creation, 155; baptized 
with water, 603, see also world. 

East Indian Archipelago, 490. 

Eatmg, 290, 293, 298. 

Education, physical and mental, 
to be given to boys and girls, 
327, continuous, 382, shall not 
cease in the spirit world, 382, 
never see the time when we 
shall not need, 382; we need 
constant, 383, Lord Almighty 
designed us to have, 383, ef- 
fects of, 385, of children 
worthy of our attention, 387; 
of the youth is important, 388, 
builds up the Kingdom, 389, 
establish schools for, 389, what 
to study to obtain, 392, im- 
proves our minds, 393, teaches 
to be self sustaining, 393; to 
apply your labors to advan- 
tage, 395, leligious, 396, 402 

Effects of Disobedience, 349. 

Elder, Priesthood of, 207; not to 
dictate his superior m office, 
228. 

Elders, to do work sot them, 230, 
should have generous natures, 
430, should exercise faith, 430; 
should pray always, 430, should 
serve the Lord, 431, should 
ceas© speaking evil; 432, should 
deal honestly, 432; course of, 
to save every person, 492, 
should improve, grow m grace 
and knowledge, while preach- 
ing the Gospel, 497, successful, 
must have power of God, 516. 

Elements, eternal as Gods, 24. 

Elohira, see God, 

Emigration Canyon, named, 725. 

End, when will, come the, 87 

Endowment House, all ordin- 
ances can not be administered 
in, 612. 

Endowments;, 162, given in Solo- 
mon's temple, 602; men must 
hold Melchlzedek Priesthood 
before receiving, 607; given to 
some means their destruction, 
COS, for Church of First-born, 
608, definition of, 637, 0-38. 

Enoch, 161, 179. 

Enthusiasm, 12 

EjHiraim, blessed by Jacob, 493 

Error, to pass away, 14. 

E«au, house of, to be saved, 481* 



749 



Eternal Increase, 138-146 

Eternal Life, What it is, 147, 14S, 
condition for obtaining, 345 

Eternal progression, 24, 81, law 
of, 133 

Eternity, is here, 24; couise of, 
34, incomprehensible, 148 

Evangeli&tN, to be in Church of 
Christ, 211 

Eve, in Garden of Eden, 156, 
temptation of, 164. 

Evil, purpose of, 85, power of, 
104. 

Exaltation, proportioned to ca- 
pacity, 599. 

Exalted, Saints who live their re- 
ligion will be, 345 

Example, parents should teach 
by, 322. 

Excursions, prepare suitable 
places for,. 376, should be made 
for the comfort of families, 
376 

Exercise, bodies should have, 295, 
296. 

Existence, object of, 24. 

Experience, life a school of, 87, 
needed, 92, necessary for salva- 
tion, 529, 530. 

Extravagant, men as, as women, 
330 



Faith, first principle, 236, 23 S, 
is eternal, 237, is inherent in 
man, 237, maintain integrity 
by, 238, a gift of God, 238, 
blessings of, 240; be full of, 
241; good works follow, 241, 
not dependent on miracles, 525; 
and works, 446, do the things 
that are necessaiy by, 446, in 
God, 451 , a 

Faithful, young men admonished 
to be, 317, will exercise faith, 
430, will pray always, 430; 
serve the Lord, 431. 

Fall, The, 157, 158. 

Falsehood, cannot be overtaken, 
540. 

False impressions, never give, to 
children; 326. 

False Spirits, 110-114. 

Family, 300. 

Family life, 314, 315. 

Fanatics, defined, 6, 

Far West, 720. 

Fashions, 831, 332, 333. 

Fast day, origin of, 262; purpose 

of, 263. 
Father, see God. 



Faultfinding, 127 

First Cause, 38. 

First Presidency, 212, influence 
of, 213, have oracles foi hu- 
man family, 213, prevailing de- 
sire of, to save the world, 213, 
apostleship not taken from, 
215, privilege of, 216; powers 
of, 217 

Flatteiy, 124. 

Flax, raise, 459 

Food, proper, for little children, 
327, 328 

Foreordination, Saints believe in, 
85, 86 

Forgetfulness, 93. 

Forgive, when to, 243. 

Former-day Saints, like Latter- 
day Saints, 163 

Free Agency, in council in 
heaven, S3, all rational beings 
have, 95, 96, man can dispose 
of, 97, explanation of, 98, 99; 
the law of liberty, 101, 347. 

Freedom, man's own will and, 
348 

Free sraee, 86. 

Frowns, a child loves the smiles 
of its mother but hates her, 
323. 

G 

Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve 
in, 156; in America, 157; men- 
tioned, 725. 

Gathering, purpose of, 185, 
leasons for, to valleys of 
mountains, 186. 

Gentile, to be made seed of 
Abraham, 669. 

Gentleman, defined, 429. 

Gift, of Holy Ghost, 218, 219 

Gila River, why Saints did not 
go to, 737. 

Give Freely, to build up the 
Kingdom of God, 357. 

Glories, number of, 585. 

God, governed by law, 1, has 
power of truth, 7, elements as 
eternal as, 24; the Creator, 27, 
the Father, 27, nature of, 27, 
35, his attributes, 28, omnipre- 
sence of, 30, one, 31, our 
Father, 81, of organization, 33, 
all desire a, 34; many, 34, his 
abode, 34; Fatherhood of, 36, 
source of all, 36; personality 
of, 36, Father of our spirits, 
37; of temporal experience, 37, 
communication with, 49; man 
offspring of, 76, known by 



750 



INDEX 



man, 77, his wish foi his chil- 
dren, 89, governs by law, 90, 
attainment of, 150, all intel- 
ligence from, 230, sanctify, 
353, lrve by every -word that 
pioceeds from the mouth of, 
353, desiring to know the will 
of, 353, saved m the kingdom 
of,, 355, be faithful to your, 
355, all knowledge that men 
possess is from, 355, has in 
store for us, 410, at helm of 
ship Zion, 528, not the author 
of war, 562, removes the curse, 
430, who are loved of, 431 

Godhead* 27, unity of, 44 

Gods, exist, and we had better 
strive to be one of them, 351, 
our religion is designed to 
restore us to the piesence of 
the, 351 

Gold, is not wealth, 473, what 
used for, 473, true happiness 
not in, 473, true wealth, 474, 
with no possible chance to 
change, would be destitution, 
474 

Gospel, defined, 1-13, power of, 
1, system of law, 1, includes 
all truth, 2, comprehension of, 
5, holds Priesthood, 6, purpose 
of, 7, 8, 9, 11, offers salvation 
for all, 10, is perfect, 11, saves 
all, 12, a daily guide, 12, not 
theory, 18, temopral nature of, 
21, first i equn ement, 32, 
founded on revelation, 58, what 
it bungs, 82, unchanged, 158, 
revealed to Adam, 159, import- 
ance of principles of, 235, need 
to have, sounded in our ears 
often, 250, to be taught to chil- 
dien, 320, to piactioe requnes 
time, faith, affection and labor, 
344, devotion to, 353, apply 
your heaits to, 354, loose the 
spirit of, 364, believe the, 304, 
comprises every ait and sci- 
ence known to man, 378, preach 
the, 415, the poor made happy 
by, 4S6, to be preached to all 
men, 489, testimony of, gives 
solid satisfaction, 514, preach- 
ed with authority, 505, why 
some men reject, 665, to go to 
uttermost parts of earth, 671, 
nature of, 682, best Institution 
of all, 683, why called "Mor- 
momsm", 685, effects of, 686, 
what it teaches, 687, will bring 
peace to earth, G87, perfection 
to be obtained through, 688, 



gives desire to know things of 
God, CSS, persona^ joy in, 689, 
a continual feast, 690, blesses 
all, 691, dispels gloom, 602, 
pioud of, 693, cairies all, 693, 
ble&sings of, conditioned upon 
good works, 605, mcreas.es 
blessings, 696 

Government of God, how to un- 
dei stand, 349 

Government of United Slates, has 
hi ted its heel against Saints, 
531 

Government, political, 543, re- 
publican, 545, how a, can 
stand, 545, what is tiue, 545, 
behel in true, 546, self, lies at 
root of all effective, 545, theo- 
cidtic, 543 

Grant, Jedediah M., 572 

Great Salt Lake Valley, see Salt 
Lake Valley 



HapplneMN, cause of, 119, Saints 
should have, 362, the whole 
world are after, 352, he who 
has the love of God within him 
has, 362, found not In gold and 
silver, 362, found in peace and 
love, 362, incoiporated in the 
gieat design of man's exist- 
ence, 363, nowhere but in God, 
364, only one way foi Saints 
to have, 364, -we are all search- 
ing for, 304, made by wealth, 
when used for the Gospel, 481 

Hatred, never encouiage, 420 

Healing the sick, 251 

Health, law of, 2S9, 290, 204, 295, 
.196, 298, 299 

Heart, puie befoie God, 2C1, the 
people to become of one, 341. 

Heathen, enlightened, 49, defined. 
82, upnght, 93 

Heaven, no one forced into, 90. 

Heavenly beings, 341 

Hell, defined, 97, 589, is to strive 
to grasp truth with one hand, 
and eiror with the other, 345, 
no music in, 374, covenant 
breakers to go to, 5S9 

High Council, should be filled 
with power of Holy Ghost, 200, 
duty of, 231 

High Priest, Priesthood of, 207, 
217, first oi darned, 220, 2l}l 

Holy Ghost, a minister, 29, one, 
35, explanation of, 46, work 
of, 47, received by laying on 
of hands, 248, special gilt of 



751 



the Father, 248,. is Minister of 
the Father, 248, 249, mission 
of, 249. 

Holy Spirit, all quickened by, 47, 
explained, 50, 51 

Homes, for young married men, 
301 

Honesty, he honest with your- 
selves, 358, men must have, 
358, honest hearts produce, 358, 
in labor, 359, deal with, 432 

Hooper, William, remarks on 
Mason and Dixon's Line, 560 

Housekeepers, mothers to teach 
daughters to be, 326 

House of Israel, is objective of 
missionaries, 493 

Housewife, 329 

Humanity, see man. 

Humble, will live, 353; ourselves 
and become like little children, 
353, are full of jov 353 

Humility and Devotion, essential 
to Kingdom of our Lord, 509. 

Husband, should be head of the 
family, 308, should set example 
for wife and children, 306, 
should be affectionate and 
kind, 306, should learn to bend 
Ins will to will of God, 306, 307 



Identity, will ho preserved, 567 
Idler, wicked to give to the, 423; 

never give anything to the, 

423 
Ignorance, of Christ and plan of 

salvation, 342, 343, 
Illinois, persecution in, 724 
Imaginary wants, of young girls, 

337 
Imitate, duty to, everything good, 

lovely dignified and prais- 

worthy, 263 
Improvements, we make, add to 

our comfort, 465, learn how to 

build, 405 
Impure, anything, must perish, 

351 
Increase, Eternal, see Eternal In- 
crease. 
Independence, sacred, 95. 
Indians, who massacre are guilty 

of murder, 563; See also 

Lamanites. 
Indigo, can be raised, 460. 
Individuals, receive visions, 519 
Industry, build up, 465, beautify, 

405, plant good vineyards and 

orchards by, 465, learn how to 

build, 465. 



Infidel, 15 

Influence, of mother, 319 

Intelligence, why given, 80, eter- 
nal, 147, received from God, 
230, misapplied, does mischief, 
350, given by God is to carry 
out puiposes of his will, 350, 
good thing, 377, to become 
Gods by, 377, tiue, 377, belongs 
to Zion, 377; gratifying to the 
Lord and angels, 377 

Indentions, 62 

Irrigation, advice to water- 
masters, 741. 

Israel, in wilderness, 162, who 
are, 669. 



Jackson County, return to, 174, 
Center Stake of Zion at, 174. 
Jacob, blesses Ephraim, 493 
Jerusalem, 186 

Jesus Christ, his revelations 
.sweet, 9, atonement of, 12, 
who he is, 3b, 40, appointment 
of, 41, testimony of, 43, mis- 
sion of, 44, completion of work 
of, 45, second coming of, 46, 
begotten by God, 77, on earth, 
1G3, coming of, 175, 176, says 
"Distribute to the poor," 487, 
488, performs miracle at Cana, 
522, 523, first-fruits of the 
resurrection, 573, died for 
every man, 594 

Jews, to be gathered, 187, to pre- 
pare for coming of the Mes- 
siah, 187, to see Savior^ 187 

Job, expresses idea of resurrec- 
tion, 567 

Johnson, Lyman, 704 

Jordan River, to be turned into 
canal, 742; a canal to be made 
on west side of, 742. 

Judgment, do not deal out, 427, 
428, eternal, 584, according to 
works, 584, of God, God-hke, 

586, to be out of own mouths, 

587, honesty of action will 
temper, 587, measure of human, 
590; given to Saints, 591. 

Justice, Lord to mete out, 420. 



Kimball, Heber C, 215, 219 

Kingdom, of God, defined, 37, a 
government, that protects 
every person in his rights, 544, 
definition of, 670, to develop 
gradually, 672, effect of, 673; 



752 



INDEX 



filthy cannot enter, 674; gov- 
ernment of, 674, will continue, 
676, or nothing, 680, give best 
you have to, 681. 

Kingdoms, not controlled by 
holy and pure principles must 
pass away, 351. 

Kixtland Temple, Joseph com- 
manded to build, 636, SainLs 
built, under trials, 637; pre- 
paratory ordinances in, 637 

Know, how to, that we obey God, 
346, those who, Raster's will 
and do it not, ought to be 
cursed, 350 

Knowledge, is divine, 17, by re- 
velation, 57, of eternity learn- 
ed only by keeping command- 
ments, 343, 344, do everything 
possible to bring, to ourselves 
and to the people, 344. 



Labor, Gospel in daily, 12; all, in 
gospel, 13, for ourselves, 35, 
indispensable, 4 4 7, manual, 
447, building up of Zion re- 
quires, 447, mental, physical, 
spiritual, 447, cannot produce 
without, 462, timber will con- 
tinue to grow but not brought 
into service without, 462, 
precious metals would remain 
Mi mountains -without, 462, 
capitalists need your, 462, price 
of labor should be brought to 
a reasonable standard, 463. 

Labor and politics, 548. 

Lady, defined, 429. 

Lamanites, children of God, 188; 
duty of Saints toward, 188, 180, 
190, of House of Israel, 188. 

Lamb's book of life, all names 
written in, 593, names blotted 
out of, through own acts, 593. 

Land of Zion, where it is, 183; 
American continents are, 184. 

Last Days, the, 170, the terror 
of, 171, in Zion, 173; rapid 
movements in, 178; to increase 
knowledge in, 180 

Last Dispensation, 165. 

Latter-day Saints, like former- 
day Saints, 163; have your 
children come to meeting, 321, 
not as rebellious as the chil- 
dren 'Of Israel, 351, gather the 
poor, 492, character of, tra- 
duced, 532, refused privilege of 
settlement in any of the states 
of the Union, 725. 



Law, Gospel, system of, 1, God 
goveins by, 90, nature of God's, 
96, not capable of receiving 
fulness of, 146, should obey 
every good, 340, divine, of no 
use, unless faithfully observed, 
344, no, against doing good, 
346, no, against love, 346, no, 
against serving God, 346; no, 
against charity and benevo- 
lence, 346, no, against prin- 
ciples of eternal life, 346 

Law of Liberty, see free agency. 

Law of Moses, why given, 160. 

Laying on of hands, 252. 

Learn, to know ourselves, 414; 
liberty, religious, should be ob- 
served, 553. 

Life, present, more precious, 23, 
eternity of, 38, 76, object of, 
133, business of, 134, 135, pur- 
pose of, 135, 136; defined, 147, 
long life man's first duty, 288, 
fills all matter, 565, 566, 

Light, if people reject, they will 
be condemned, 349. 

Little Mountain, 725. 

Lord, the, has sent forth his laws, 
commandments and ordinances, 
340 

Love each other, 417, our fellow 
man, 417, our neighbor more 
than self, 417; God, 417, Mercy, 
417, you are in the path of life 
if you, God, 417; labor of, 417; 
our enemies, 419 

Lucifer, plan of, 82, his angels, 
84; enemy of Christ, 536, See 
also, Devil. 

Lying, men must quit, 351. 

H 

McLellln, Win. E., 218, 704. 

Magicians, of Egypt, perform 
bogus miracles, 524. 

Magnetism, animal, 113 

Malice, never encourage, 420. 

Man, may save himself, 7, com- 
munication with God and, 49; 
is eternal, 74, offspring of God, 
76, 160, king of earth, 76; or- 
ganized spirit, 76; child of 
celestial parents, 78; in image 
of God, 78; spirit of, 79; differs 
in talents, 79 ; power of agency 
of, 85, volition of, froe, 85; 
gifts from God to, 96; desires 
to do, good, 102, spirit pure, 
107; endures forever, 134; 
stained creation, 152, creation 
of, 160, has degenerated, 162; 



753 



should live out his days, 567, 
desires salvation, 645, delights 
in good, 645, searches for sal- 
\ation, 647, loves truth and 
righteousness, 647, spirit of, 
loves truth, 647, honest, in 
other churches, 648, alike hi 
sentiments, 648, has variety of 
gifts, 649, power of, limited, 
650, to have confidence in him- 
self, 652, is dependent, 652, 
must fight own battles, 653, 
know thyself, 653, cherishes 
.Cood character, 653, needs 
leaders, 654, duty and responsi- 
bility of, 655, should strive to 
be righteous, 655. duty of, to 
listen to truth, 667 

Mankind, our friends, 8 

Manner* children need duecting 
and teaching what is right in a 
kind and affectionate, 323-4. 

Manufacturing, depend upon our 
o-wn, 459, may tho Lord hedge 
up the way against foreign, 
459, close the gate against 
foreign, 459, save your wool 
for, 459, if we have not fac- 
tories sufficient, will send and 
get more machinery for, 459, 
build a tannery for, 459, glass, 
45!), ov\n dye stuffs, 460 

Marriage, earlj, advocated, 301, 
303, relation, 302, foundation 
for many blessings, 302, 303, to 
unbelievers not approved, 304 

Mason find Dixon's Line, 560. 

Master**, deal honestly with 
those your hire, 432. 

Matter, organized,, 27, eternity 
of, 73, 74, decomposition of, 
75, mind and, 89 

Medicine, to be used carefully, 

297 

Meetings, Saints Instructed to 
have their childien come to, 
321. 

Melchizcdck, 161. 

Melchixcdek Priesthood, confer- 
red by Peter, James and John, 
220, Moses held, 222, to be con- 
ferred on men before receiving 
endowments, 607 

Merchants, dishonest, 461. 

Mercy, let us have, 419, genius 
of ieligi.on to have, 419, merci- 
ful men shall find, 420, should 
love, 420, let, soften every an- 
gry temner 421, be full of, 422. 

Mesmerism, 113. 

Methodists. 9. 

Methuselah, 161. 



Millennium, 172, consists of, 177, 
privileges of Saints in, 178, 
temples built in, 178, work for 
dead to be done in, 178, men 
to have own beliefs in, 182, 
work of building temples in, 
615, purpose of, 616, 618, 619. 

Miud, and matter, 89, condition 
of to worship the Lord, 250, 
keep pure and clean, 434 

Mind our own business, Mormon 
creed, 415 

Ministry, Christian, sin of, 490 

Miracles, mysteries and visions, 
519, providences of God, 520, 
only required by the wicked, 
522, performed at Oana of Gali- 
lee by Jesus, 522, 523, is knowl- 
edge how to command ele- 
ments, 523, 524, bogus, per- 
formed by magicians of Egypt, 
524, for believers, 525, faith 
not dependent on, 525, cannot 
save a person, $25 

Mischief, caused bj misapplied 
intelligence, 350 

Misery, purpose of, 85 

Missionary work, 489, helps to 
save every peison, 491 

Missionaries words to departing, 
494, must be examples of good 
works, 494, to go without pur^e 
or scrip, 495, to go with clean 
hands and puie hearts, 496, to 
dedicate families to the Lord, 
497, modern, have greatest 
work to do, 498, minds center- 
ed on bringing souls to Christ, 

499, in the field, advice to, 499, 

500, 501, the returned, 503, 
advice to, 504, 505. 

Missouri, persecution of Saints 
in, 722, 723 

Mortey, Isaac, 221 

Mormon Battalion, why called, 
729, line of march of, 730, how 
gathered, 731, proportion of, 
in regard to Nation, 732, severe 
conditions of march of, 733. 

Mormon Creed, Mind our own 
business, 415 

Mormonism, see Gospel 

Moses, 161, 162, 222, performed 
miracles, 524, not blamed for 
Pharaoh's h a r d-heartedness, 
539, 640. 

Mother, influence of, 319, to 
teach children early, 319, to be 
strict, S20, appointed mission- 
aries to teach their children 
their duties, 326, to teach chil- 
dren cleanliness and purity oil 



754 



INDEX 



body, 326, to teach children 
the principles of salvation, 32b, 
to teach daughters to be 
house keepers, 826, can admin- 
ister to their children, 328 

Mother Earth, body returns to, 
564 

Mount Zion, established, 489. 

Murdock, John, 221. 

Mysteries, 13, visions and mir- 
acles, 519, to be left alone, 
520 

Mystery, what is a, 520 
N 

Nations, who make war, guilty 
of murder, 562, 5G3 

Nauvoo, 532, Saints left, in 
February, 1846, 725, 72C 

Nauvoo Temple, burned, G32, the 
Piophet knew how to build, 
638, built under trials, b3y, 
passed into hands of enemy, 
640. 

Neglect, if we, our duty, we will 
be chastened, 350 

Negro, the seed of Ham, 430 

Neighbors, respect for, 429, tieat 
with kindness, 429, can you 
live as, 429 

O 

Obedience, required, 31, 33S; ex- 
pected to -the word of the 
Lord, 339, has to do with stem 
realities, 340, effect of, 345, 
and free agency, 347, benefits 
of, 349. 

Obey, every good law, 340, how 
to know that we, 346. 

Oneness, be of one heart, 433, 
perfect, will save a people, 
434, unity of purpose, 434, as 
he and the Father, 433 r except 
I have, with my brethren, I am 
not a Latter-day Saint, 438. 

Opposite*, need of, 102 

Opposition in all tilings, must be 
known, 530 

Order, principles of, to be taught 
to little children, 327. 

Order of Enoch, unity in, 440, 
442 

Ordinances, temporal labor of, 21) 
need of, 235; baptism an, 23C, 
of house of God, 34 1, none to 
be dispensed with, 341, 

Original sin, 31. 

Overcome by spirit of the world, 
results of, 850. 
P 

Parents* how and what to teach 
children, 321, to see that chil- 



dren go to meetings as well as 
Sunday School, 321, not to 
chasten neighbors' children, 
322, if righteous and faithful, 
not separated from children in 
eternity, 322, to set examples 
that they wish thoir ehildien 
to imitate, 322, not to dtive 
but to lead children, 323, how 
and what to teach their chil- 
dien, 322 to 328, when and how 
children should be /sealed to, 
322, should never drive chil- 
dren, 323, need of training, 328. 
to teach children to pray, the 
law of health, the principles of 
the Gospel, to be obodient, 331 

Parlies, political, 558 

Partridge, Edward, busy in spirit 
world, 579. 

Pastora, to be In Church of 
Christ, 211. 

Pass away, that kingdom powo-i 
or person not controlled by 
pure punciples must, 351. 

Passions, must be moulded, 14; 
embitter life, ICO; overcome, 
411, chock your words of, 412, 
no m<i'L possessing wlbilom will 
give vent to, 413 

Patriarchal doctrine, i) 

J'atten, David VV„ 21 «. 

Peace, conditions for obtaining, 
345. 

People, should become of one 
heart and one mind, 341, must 
be self-sustaining, 450, should 
live within theli means, 451. 

Perfection, gospel has, 11. 

Perish, anything impure mus» 
351. 

FersecuUona and trials, 5i!9; pur- 
pose of, 531, biing blessings, 
531, may be expected, 531, 
cause of, 535, caused disobedi- 
ence, 537; losult of, 538, comes 
from efforts of a few, 541, 542, 
of the Saints, dangers of, 541. 

Pharaoh, hard-heartedness of, 
539, 540. 

Plan of Solvation, see Gospel. 

Political government, 543 > 

Political parties, 558 

Politics and labor, 548 

Polities of the Latter-day Saints, 
549 

Popularity, would send us to hell, 
540. 

Poor, sot to work, 423, Lord has 
chosen the, 423; what kind 
of, 423, the Lord's, 42S; the 
devils, 423, the poor devils, 



755 



423 the, are the people of God, 
486, made happy by the gos- 
pel, 486, jare covetous, 487, 
rich to distribute to, 488, dis- 
grace not to take care of own, 
488; the, gathered by Latter- 
day Samts, 492 

Possessions, uncertainty of tem- 
poral, 469, liko a shadow, 469, 
unseen hand of providence con- 
trols, 469; today they are, to- 
monow they are not, 469, true 
riches, 469, Lord can take 
away, 470 

Potter, Saints like clay in hands 
of, 344. 

Practice, has to do with stern 
realities, 340, of the gospel re- 
quires time, faith, love and 
labor, 344, if we, what we pro- 
fess at defiance of hell, 350, 
Is greatest sermon, 515 

Practical religion, need of 17, IS, 
22, Zion built by, 19. 

Pratt, Parley P., early mission- 
ary, 707 

Player, 65, 66, how to pra>, 67, 
spirit of. 67, when to offer, 68- 
71, if neglected, spin of dark- 
ness comes, 264 

Pre-appointment, 84 

Preach, what to, 13, tetnpoial 
labor, 21, by the EToly Ghost, 
47, only that which is known, 
511 

Preach erN, hint to, 611. 

Pre-exlstence, 72 

Presence of Almighty, strict 
obedience to the truth will en- 
able people to dwell in, 340, 
our religion is designed to 
restore us to the, of God, 351 

Present, gospel for the, 12, of 
first importance, 13 

Preserve our sifts, 31 

Priestcraft, 116, 116, 117. 

Priesthood,, system of govern- 
ment, 2, part of gospel, 6, pur- 
pose of, 7, bestowed upon men, 
201, perfect system of govern- 
ment, 201, what it is. 201, com- 
prises kingdom of God, 202, 
where keys of, are, 202; on 
earth at various times, 202, 
purpose of, 208, 204, obedience 
to, brings blessings, 203, 204, 
206; power of, 204, laws based 
upon, 204, exists in spirit 
world, 204, Who shall hold, 
205; everything subject to, 205, 
to gain influence by, 206, of 
Hllder same as of Apostle, 207, 



not destroyed at death of the 
Prophet Joseph Smith, 208, 
gives same counsel, 209, man 
has no right to build up church 
without, 210, Apostles hold 
keys of, 211 , will of God made 
known through, 211, keys of, 
committed to Joseph Smith, 
213, restored In our day for 
salvation of Israel 489 

Printing: press, first, west of 
Mississippi by Saints, 725, 728 

Profess, if we practice what we. 
at defiance of hell, 350 

Progeny, man is, of God, 38, 

Progression, see Eternal Pro- 
gression 

Promises, always keep, made to 
children, 325 

Prophets, to be in Church of 
Christ, 211 

Property, accumulate. 466, let 
every man and woman gathei 
to themselves, 466. 

Prosper, we shall, if we live our 
religion, 349 

Protestants 15 

Provo River, mentioned, 742 

Purity, of body to be taught to 
children, 326, 

Purse or scrip, missionaries to 
go without, 496, 501 



Quails, sent as food for Saints, 

725 
Quincy, people of, open arms for 

Saints, 723 



Rebellious, Latter-day Saints, 
not as the Children of Israel, 
351 

Reformation, defined, 244 

Reject, do not, anything that 
comes from the Lord. 346 

Relief Societies, some duties of 
334, members of, should en- 
large their sphere of useful- 
ness by study, 335, should or- 
ganize industrial societies, 335, 
to relieve necessities of the 
worthy, 336 

Religion, practical, need of, 17, 
18, 22, purpose of, 24, of 
heaven, way to establish, 341, 
how to live, 341, 346, will 
prosper, if we live our, 349; 
to restore us to the presence of 
God, 351, we have embraced 
must last from Saturday night 



756 



INDEX 



until Saturday night, 361, our, 
one of improvement, 87 8, not 
contradicted or confined, 378, 
to lead men to a state of in- 
telligence, 378, our, comprises 
every art and science known 
to man, 378, duty, Latter-das 
Saints to live their, 380, of 
Jesus Christ makes the people 
acquainted with the things of 
God, 380, prompts them to 
seaich after knowledge, 3S0, 
of the day, 386, and science, 
397, false, brings on persecu- 
tions, 535 

Repentance, made manifest by 
obedience, 242, without, atone- 
ment of no effect, 242, not up- 
on the scaffold, 243, from false 
notions, 243, should never 
cease, 244, what it is, 244 

Respect, for one another, 421, 
for neighbors, 429, treat the 
stranger with, 429 

Restoration, the, 165 

Resurrection, faith of Job in the, 
566, 567, Jesus first-fruits of 
573, necessary to full salvation, 
575 

Resurrection and death, 564 

Rex elation* about daily duties, 
18, explained 54-58, continual, 
59, how to understand, 60, 
personal, 60, 62, nature of, 61, 
to come through appointed 
channel, 212 

Revolution, inspired, 551 

Richards, Willard, 215 

Rigdon, Sidney, 214, 216, 221 

Righteousness* triumph of, 172 

Rulers, fitness of, 548 



Sabbath Day, how to spend, 254, 
those who go skating, pleas- 
ure-riding, or ori excursions on 
the, are weak m the faith, 
254, should be observed foi 
temperance, good and spiritual 
welfare, 254 

Sacrament meetings, if neglected, 
spirit of darkness comes, 264 

Sacrament of Lord's Supper, 265, 
duty of Saints to attend, 265, 
more sacred than other ordin- 
ances, 265, necessary to our 
salvation, 266; required of dis- 
ciples until Savior comes again, 
266. 

Saint, whole man a, 8, not per- 
fect, 11, calling of a, 298, 



St, George Temple, 641, site of, 
had been dedicated, 643, Spirit 
of God in, 642; Tuesdavs and 
Wednesdays appointed for bap- 
tisms in, 644, Thursdays and 
Fridays for endowments in, 
644, for work of Lamanites in, 
644, completed, 644 

Saints, will not be confounded, 
if they live their religion, 347, 
know how to be, 354, made per- 
fect by suffering, 531, dangers 
of persecuting the, 541; will yet 
save the Constitution, 553, and 
politics, 549 

Salt Lake Temple, duty of Saints 
to build, 629, vision of, given 
to President Young, 629, to 
have six towers, 029, to stand 
as a monument of Saints' love 
of God, 631, will he for endow- 
ments, C32, address at laying 
cornerstone of, 632, corner- 
stone dedicated, 641. 

Sail Lake Valley, settlement in, 
735, provided by God, 736-737, 
reasons for coming to, 737-738, 
purpose of coming to, 789, a 
blessed place, 740 

Salvation for all, 10, IS, 44, 49, 
86, 87, present, desired, 23, 25, 
secret of, 88, who will attain, 
88, graded, 94, when entitled 
to, 242, conditions of obtain- 
ing, 345, universal, 592; foi 
those who overcome, 592, for 
heathen nations, 593, for all 
except sons of perdition, 594, 
way to, 595; through gospel, 
595, comes through work, 596, 
and individual work, 596, free 
agency in receiving, 597, 
degrees of, 597, proportioned to 
capacity, 599, all not to receive 
same, 599, man desires, 645 

Solvation for the dead, 602, when 
revealed, 611; not fully reveal- 
ed at first, 611, purpose of, 
Gil, 612,> 613, pertaining to 
parents and children, 013, C14, 
do not wait until Millennium 
to work for, 616, who shall 
perform, 618, for those who 
have not had the gospel, 620; 
a law to be obeyed, 62, who 
should represent tho doad in 
the work of, 620, 621, 622, 628, 
doctrine of, revealed from God, 
625, greater than worldly 
wealth, 626 

San Francisco, why Saints did 
not go to, 787. 



757 



Satan, see Devil 

Sa\age, why so, 82 

Saving, a good house-keeper will 
be, 330 

Sailor, fc.ee Jesus Christ. 

SaAlors, on Mount Zion, 623, 
meaning of, 623-624 

Sayings, brief, of President 
Young, 340 

Schools, established, 725 

School of Prophets, 32 

Scripting, use of, 197-198 

Scaled, husband and wife should 
be, 301 

Second death, what it Is, 590 

Sects, have some truth, 4, to deny 
Savior, 508- 

Seed of Ham, the negro, 430 

Self-eontvol, 107 

Self-discipline, necessary, 315, 

Self-sustaining, people must be, 
450 

Servants, of the devil, 348, deal 
honestly with those Tiho em- 
ploy you, 432 

Settlement in West, 722; journey 
across plains to establish, 722, 
trials to make, 722, made on 
City Creek, 725, made by estab- 
lishing orchards, etc, 725, to 
ho made like Garden of Eden, 
725, made by building loads, 
etc., 727; work to reach, 734; 
condition of people and ani- 
mals when they reached, 735 

Seventy, Priesthood of, 207, not 
separate body from Church, 
221, to be teachers, 221 

Sewing, how to teach to children, 
325 

Silk, raise, 460. 

Sin, purpose of, 85, permitted to 
oome, 84, explanation of, 117- 
122, doing wrong when we 
know we can do better, 242 

Sinters, to teach young girls as 
to imaginary wants, 337. 

Slaves* of our own passions, 348 

Smiles, a child loves the, of its 
mother, but hates her frown, 
323, 

Smith, Joseph, 8, Priesthood 
restored by, 48, early revela- 
tions to, 54, appointed in 
councils of eternity, 165; visit- 
ed by angels, 166, was Presi- 
dent of Church, 213, keys of 
Priesthood committed to, 213; 
mentioned, 217, illiterate boy, 
argument of the wise, 492, a 
purt Ephraimlte, 493, a Prophet 
of God, Saint* #hould testify 



to the wicked, 508, why per- 
secuted, 537, persecution of, 
made him more perfect, 538, 
had the right to establish a 
religion, 554, worked in stone 
quarry for the Kirtland temple, 
037, witness of truth, 666, a 
Piophet of God, 700, laid foun- 
dation of kingdom of God, 700, 
explained personality of God, 
701, a great teacher, 702; a 
good man, 703, called by God, 
703, duected by God, 703, 
had to do with temporal 
things, 704, development of, 

705, received Aaronic and 
Melchlzedek Pnesthoods 706, 
received knowledge of plates, 

706, God sent John, the Bap- 
tist and Peter, James and John 
to, 706, sent missionaries to 
"West, 707, received revelation 
on work for dead, 707; teach- 
ings of, 708, could explain 
heavenly things, 708, taught 
Gospel, 708, result of labors of, 
70S, persecutions of, 709, lies 
eh dilated about, 711, not an 
impostor, 712, baiassed by law- 
suit?, 712, of good character, 
713, uhy, was killed, 713, 
sealed bis testimony with his 
Mood, 714, in forty-six laxv- 
auits, 715, works m spirit 
world, 715, nature of family of, 
716, successors of, the Twelve, 
716, sayings of, 717, God de- 
livered, from enemies, 718, doc- 
trine of governing, 719, prom- 
ised protection of Governor 
Ford, 724. 

Smith, Jo»eph, Sr., busy in spirit 
world, 579 

Social amusements, ordained of 
God to bless his people, 364, 
we are made to enjoy all, that 
God en3oys, 365; are the order 
of heaven, 365, a blessing for 
the Latter-day Saints to asso- 
ciate together, 365, follow only 
the path that leads to life 
everlasting, 365, privilege of 
Saints to enjoy, 366, provide 
innocent, 366, are necessary, 
368, to satisfy natural organ- 
isation, 369, resist all foul 
spirits in, 369, it you can't go 
with the spirit of the Lord to, 
stay home, 370, to promote 
healthy action to the whole 
system, 370, no harm in Sunday 
School parties, 871, pay more 



758 



INDEX 



attention to public exercises In, 
372, noisy and boisterous 
demonstrations in, indicate 
little sense, 372, improve the 
body and the mind, 402 

Solomon's temple, David com- 
manded to prepare building of, 
634, pattern of, given, 634, why 
called, 635 

Son of God, see Jesus Christ 

Sons of perdition, 45, sinners 
against Holy Ghost are, 182 

Sorrow, purpose of, 85 

Space, no empty, 30 

Spencer, Brother, lived beyond 
common age, 419 

Spirit, makes converts, not logic 
or debate, 506 

Spirit of God, how to obtain, 18 
See also Holy Ghost 

Spirit of Truth, how engaged, 2 1 

Spirit of the world, what It docs, 
350 

Spirits, cannot be baptized, 581, 
Gan preach Gospel, 581, can 
bring information, 581 

Spiritualism, 112 

Spirit world, 576, all go to, 57fi, 
vvhere it is 576, good and eMl 
spirits in, 577, labors in, 578, 
Jesus, first to preach to spirits 
in, 579, dead go to, 580 spirits 
familiar with spirits in, 581, 
life in, 582, cannot be describ- 
ed, 583, transportation in, 5S3, 
Joseph Smith In, 715 

Stake presidencies, duties of, 233 

Standard Church works, 195, 
•what they contain, 196; Saints' 
belief in, 197 

States' Rights, 559 

Strangers! preach, youth urged to 
hoar, 264, teaching in Sunday 
School, 264 

Subdue, our own passions, 410, to 
conquer *»nd, 411 

Smsrar, raise, 460 

Sunday School* We Should have 
more children at, 372 

Swearing-, men must quit, 351 



Tabernacle, opposed to theatrical 
performances in, 374, opposed 
to making it a hall of fun, 374 

Talents, to be used 208-209, hide 
not your, 382, put them out to 
usury, 443, to be unproved, 581 

Task, to undertake to live a 
Saint and walk in darkness is 
a hard, 850, 



Taylor, Jehu, 724 
Tench, mothers to commence with 
children m their lap, 319, how 
and what to, 320 
Teachers, to be In Church of 

Christ, 211 
Telegraph, a new revelation, 62 
Temper, even temper to be main- 
tained, 315 

Temples, temporal labor in, 21, 
to be built In Millennium, 178, 
to be built, 275-276, Saints 
commenced to build, 602, en- 
dowments given in Solomon's, 
603, for God to come to, 603, 
indispensable for higher ordin- 
ances, G04, hundreds of, to be 
built, 605, endowments to be 
given in, 606, ordinances of, 
for salvation of human family, 
60S, work for dead in, 60S, in- 
struction pertaining to ordin- 
ances in, 609, during Millen- 
nium, 615, built expressly to 
save poople, 617, sons of Jacob 
to work in, 626, angels to con- 
verso and explain work of, 627, 
angels to bring list of names 
to, 037, some to remain in, all 
thn time, 628, powers of evil 
opposed to, 628, Saints built 
two, 629: to have grovei and 
fish ponds on, 629, David not 
permitted to build, 634 
Temporal, and spiritual insepar- 
able, 13-20, labors necessarv, 
20. nature of gospel, 21, reve- 
lations, 54 
Temporal matters, counsel in, 3SJ) 
Temptation, explained, 122-12$ 
Ten Tribes, to be gathered, 187 
TertimonTi bow obtained, 43, 52, 
53, by revelation, 57, of gos- 
pel, gives solid satisfaction, 
514, where do you get your? 
517; all Saints may have, of 
gospel, 657, must have, of 
Jesus to know truth, 657, how 
to get a, 658, 659-660, miracles 
do not give abiding, G61; people 
ioin Chu'rch bv reason of, 662, 
gained by experience, 663, Is 
positive, 664, not built upon 
man, 6C6, concerning Joseph 
Smith, 666. 
Texas, 787 in t 

Theater, is there evil In, 375, 
built to attract the young, 
375, to provide amusemont for 
the boys and girls, 875, to 
amuse the people, 375, stage 
can be made to aid the pulpit, 



5fc 

k5 



36367
Internet Archive Audio

Featured

Top

Images

Featured

Top

Software

Featured

Top

Texts

Featured

Top

Video

Featured

Top

Mobile Apps

Browser Extensions

Archive-It Subscription

Save Page Now

Full text of "Discourses of Brigham Young"

See other formats
